The More Things Change
by WIWJ
Summary: It's 2012 and Ty and Sasha are getting married. When the memebers of the 55 come back together everyone seems to have their own agenda. The bride and groom have their own plans. It just proves: The more things change...the more they stay the same.
1. Chapter 1

**Officer John Sullivan and Margaritte Davis Sullivan **

**Invite you to the wedding of there son **

**Lieutenant Tyrone John Davis Jr.**

**to**

**City Alderman Sasha Constance Monroe**

**on **

**The 15th of April 2012**

**at Sunset**

* * *

Carlos folded the invitation back in the envelope and carried it into the kitchen. Pandamonium as usual. It was his weekend with Kylie and the girls were busily swapping catchup gossiup at the table while Holly fussed over dinner. He moved behind her, dropping the envelope on the counter.

"It came."

"Oh!" She lifted the envelope to his fingers, moving the invitation out slowly."Oh, It's lovely."

Carlos shrugged, making his way back to the table. The girls hushed, all eyes lifting quickly to him.

"What?"

"Girl talk." Kylie blinked at him.

"Dirl tak." Two year old Eden agreed blinking at her father like he was a moron. He stood there starring.

"Um.. Daddy?" Kestra raised an eyebrow at him expectantly.

"Kes?"

"Are you going now?" Holly stiffled a giggle, pressing her hand to her mouth.

"Guess so." He cocked his head to the left and made his way back into the kitchen.

"I just got told by my seven year old."

"Yes."

"Where's Addie? She still loves me."

"Adilia is at Susanna's for diner."

"Again?"

"Apparently she loves Susanna more."

"Ouch." He murmered as Holly patted his cheek and moved the salad to the table.

"You going to Bellview after?" She whispered to him, as he dolled out the plates to the girls.

"Huh?" He took the forks from her hand. "Should I be?"

"It's the twentith." Holly reminded.

"Already?" He looked up at her in alarm and she nodded. "Kimmy call?"

"Yeah. She said she'd call back after dinner."

"Kay." Carlos took his seat between his girls, rubbing his hand across Kylie's back.

"Eden, blessing." Holly reminded as her youngest reached across the table towards the bread.

"It's Kes' turn." Carlos reminded distractedly.

"We come in thanks for what we have been given, our food and family.."

* * *

"Bobby finally down?" Jimmy Doherty whispered softly touching his wife's hair gently. She turned with a small nod. "You going tonight?"

"Can you handle it? If he gets up again?"

"They did give us a little medical training in firefighter school." He teased wrapping his arms around her slim body.

"Firefighter school?" She grinned, smoothing her hands up his chest.

"Yeah." He smiled and Kim reflected on how his dimples could still make her weak in the knees.

"There's more Tylnol in the bathroom."

"Kay." He kissed her softly. "Carlos gonna pick you up?"

"I think so I need to call him." She nuzzled closer to her husband, pressing her ear against his chest.

"She was a good girl Kimmy." He felt her nod against him.

"Our invitation came today. For Ty's wedding?"

"Yeah?" He made a face. "You really want to go?"

"Yeah I really do." She looked up at him with those innocent eyes and he was sunk.

"Okay. See if your mom'll take them." He chucked a finger towards the boy's door.

"Thank you." The phone rang in the other room and she peeled herself from him.

He listened to her talk to Carlos, sniffling a little at what ever her former partner had to say before promising to meet him at his place.

"You going there?"

"He forgot. He's all shaken up about it. I'm gonna drive us." She explained grabbing her purse before turning back to him with a kiss. "Did you do a breathing treatment?"

"Kim.."

"You sounded a little rattly." She pointed to the hall. "Back there."

"I though we were having a moment and your assessing my breath sounds?"

"Jimmy!" Her eyes widened as she shook her head in a desperate attempt to make her point.

"I'll do it." He sighed as she made her way to the door.

"I love you!" She called on her way out.

"Me too." He called back as the door drifted shut.

* * *

"You're coming right?" Sasha scrunched up the phone cord from her desk phone before letting it go.

"Sasha come on." He moaned. "I'll catch the next one."

"I'm only getting married once. Once in my whole life." She pleaded.

"God willing?" He snickered.

"That's not funny, Bosco." She giggled.

"It's a little bit funny." He muttered to himself.

"Look I know you don't like it when people-."

"Monroe." He growled.

"-call themselves your partner. And I totally get the significance of that-."

"Don't get all Dr. Phill on my ass Monr-."

"- but, I rode with you longer than I ever road with anybody." He sighed and she knew she had him. "And I want you to come to my wedding."

"I'll see about it."

"Thank you." Her voice was high pitched and cocky. She grinned as she checked his name off the list.

"Whatever." He clicked the phone off without goodbye. Sasha looked up, not caringless. Her future husband shook his head slowly at her.

"You played the partner card." He grimaced. "Low even for you."

"I deal." She sassed. "I work it with what works."

"You found his soft spot and went in for the kill." He leaned across the desk and kissed her.

"I'm in pollitics, Ty. It's what I do." She handed him the list, one name still unchecked. He watched her slide the phone towards him. "Your turn."

* * *

"Mom?" Charlie Yokas turned into his mother's office. She sat head down engrossed in files. He mused for a second that he was so used to the top of her head he'd be too distracted to speak if he actually saw her face. "Mom?"

"My purse is on the desk." She sighed. smoothing her hands over her face. "But I could swear I just gave you fifty dollars yesterday."

"Mom I don't want money!"

Her head snapped up.

"You don't?" He shifted his weight to the other leg before grunting.

"Well okay I do want money but-." He held up the phone when she laughed. "It's Ty Davis on the phone."

"Davis?" Her voice perked up a little a for a minute he thought she looked like his former mother. If he squinted he could even blur out the mounds of paperwork. Charlie nodded at her, reaching out the phone. She looked at it for a minute before taking it slowly like it was going to burn her. "Really?"

Charlie rolled his eyes, making his way over to her purse and pulling out two twenties. She shot him a look and he left one.

"Ty?"

"Faith? Is it actually you? I was begining to think your voice mail was holding you hostage."

"You've been calling." It wasn't a question as much as a remorseful aknowledgement. "I'm sorry. I don't-. My secretary doesn't return personal calls." Faith started rummaging through the piles on her desk. "She writes them down on little pink peices of paper and I-." She pulled a bunch of them out and looked at them. "-Never get around to-."

"Faith?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm calling about the wedding."

"Wedding?" She shook her head. "I called it off like two years ago."

"My wedding Faith."

"Your getting-?" Faith looked up when Charlie started waving an envelope at her. She took it gingerly wincning at it as she pulled it open. "You're getting married."

"In a month. At Sully's cabin. You'll be there right?" She looked at the paper work.

"Oh Ty.. I.." Her shoulders slumped. "Where are you registered? I'll send you something. What does Sasha really want? Have her pick anything-."

"Faith stop it. We don't need any-." He sighed, she raked her hands through her hair again. "Please Faith."

"I'll try. I really will."

"I'm going to take that as a yes."

"Ty."

"I'm putting you on the list Faith. I know you. You can't dissapoint me on this. You'll be there."

"Davis!"

"See ya in a few weeks Faith."

He hung up the phone and she stared at it for a moment before handing it back to Charlie. He watched her head smack against the dark oak desk with a bang and a muffled moan. He turned to go, quickly dialing his sisters number. She was going to this wedding if they had to hijack her and stuff her in the trunk of her BMW. It was going to happen.


	2. Chapter 2

"Chief?"

"What?!" Faith huffed, turning towards the door. If her Sergeant was aware of her irritation she obviously didn't find it abnormal.

"You wanted to be notified with any new activity in high profile cases.." She stopped, blinking at her superior.

"So do you have something to notify me of? Or did you just want to remind me?" Faith shook her head, her wide eyes never leaving the other woman's.

"It's the Tanstucker case." Faith wrinkled her nose, trying to remember. "Murphy's requesting another shot at his witness ."

"I thought he was going to trial in three weeks?"

"They didn't get there date." She shrugged.

"What? Why? Kathy!" Faith yelled for her assistant before wandered back to her desk moving the files around. "This is the kidnapping and assault of the football player's daughter in Brooklyn? Kathy!"

"Yes Ma'am?" The woman appeared in the doorway, looking at Faith with unrestrained irritation.

"I need the file for the football player case."

"Name?" She rolled her eyes walking towards Faith's filing cabinet.

"Fansucker." Faith murmured.

"_Tanstucker_ Ma'am." The Sergeant corrected.

"What ever!" She looked towards her. "Why didn't they get the date?"

"The answering officer's going to be unavailable."

"Unavailable?!" She grabbed the file, her finger slipping down to find the offenders name. "Who the hell does this guy think he-?" Then the Deputy Chief of Major Cases did something she never did. _She gasped_.

"Ma'am?" Kathy watched her boss with interest.

"What's the date?"

"Wednesday April 12th."

"He's unavailable?"

"I spoke to the Lieutenant at the 7-9. He said Sargent-Detective Boscorelli had requested vacation time for a family wedding. First time he's ever taken a day, he's been there-."

"Eight years three months and four days." Faith finished with a sigh. She inhaled slowly, looking at the file again before swallowing hard. "Kathy, I need the Chief on the phone."

"Yes Ma'am."

* * *

"He looked good?" Ty asked softly, picking at the label on the evidence bag in front of him.

"Yeah.. I mean.. as good as.. you know.." Carlos whispered, pressing his phone against his ear. He rubbed his face, leaning back against the wall.

"Yeah." Davis bit his lip. "Sully was asking again. If-."

"I don't know."

"I get it man. I just wanted to pass it along."

"I could barley get him to see Kim."

"Sully just feels like he owe's him alot you know?"

"Don't we all?"

"Yeah."

"Listen." Carlos' voice struggled to say even while talking to his old roommate. "Kim wanted me to thank you, for the flowers. She was surprised you remembered her favorite."

"I remember."

"Her face lit up, Ty. It meant a lot." He swallowed. "The cemetery's hard for her. She's buried two partners."

"Alex was a good friend to her, after Bobby."

"She was." Carlos agreed, before the phone slipped silent. Ty took a deep breath.

"The girls get their dresses?"

"Yeah.." Ty could hear his friend smile. "You should see Eden. She looks like a princess."

"Shasha thought she'd look perfect when she picked it out." Ty grinned. "My mom's so excited about having them there. Visions of grandchildren dancing in her head."

"She and Sul are going to be good at it."

"I know." Ty sighed. "I'll see you in two weeks?"

"Yeah we'll be up on Tuesday."

"Thanks Carlos."

"That's what friends are for right?" Ty sniffed back a laugh and said goodbye. Carlos ran his hand across his face before standing up and reclipping his pagers to the waist of his scrub pants. The doors to the call room opened and one of the nurses rushed in. "Dr. Nieto? We have a GSW on the way. Trauma two."

"Okay." He muttered grabbing his stethoscope and heading for the ER.

* * *

"Wait? Henry who is that? I think I know that man."

"Ha. Ha." He sat down in front of his mother with a thud, nodding at Henry when he held up a whiskey glass.

"Is this my long lost son?"

"Ma, give it a rest."

"Oh wait no. I taught my son better manners." He raised an eyebrow at her, looking away when Henry dropped the drink in front of him.

"Apparently not." She grinned at him, kissing his cheek and shaking her head.

"I've been calling you for days, Maurice." She whacked him on the arm with the dishtowel she was holding. He snickered at the contrast.

"And here I am!"

"You been on a case?"

"No."

"The Sansigger case?"

"Tanstucker." Bosco moaned. "Pete Tanstucker? The best running back the Giants ever had? Sneaky Pete Tanstucker."

Henry shook his head.

"Shame what happened to that girl." The bartender said. "She's lucky to have gotten out of it alive."

"That's the case you got coming up right, Baby?"

"After Davis and Monroe get married."

"You're going?"

"Yeah.." He raised his eyebrows and tried to look nonchalant.

"Oh Maurice that's wonderful."

"Why is it wonderful?"

"You'll get a chance to spend some time with-."

"Don't." He said quickly, scrunching his face up as his hand darted into the air. "Don't say it."

"It's been too long Maurice."

"That's not my fault Ma!" He looked towards the door, before lowering his voice. "I tried."

"You didn't try hard enough." She leaned towards him.

"Ma.." Bosco raked his hands through his hair. "Don't start. She won't even be there. She's too busy for all that."

"You should be proud of her Maurice."

"I am proud of her!" He asserted, shaking his head back and forth before shooting what was left of the Whiskey into his mouth. Rose Boscorelli watched the familiar far off look come to her son's face when his voice dropped to an almost whisper. "I am proud of her." He leaned forward, kissing her cheek without looking up."

"I'll be gone Tuesday through Saturday of next week."

"Maurice.."

"I'll call you when I get back."

"Talk to her Maurice."

"Talk to you later." He smiled at her briefly before looking at Henry. "Thanks for the drink."

* * *

It wasn't the coughing, it was the high pitched whistly wheeze that jolted her awake.

"Jimmy?"

He started to answer her before breaking into another coughing fit as he fumbled with the nebulizer. She took the pieces from his hands and assembled it quickly flipping it on and holding it to his lips. Her other hand moved across his clammy face as he took frantic ragged breaths.

"Jimmy?" His eyes bore into hers for a second before closing tightly. "I'm calling a bus!" She started up from the bed but he pulled her back down shaking his head vehemently. She watched his breathing slow, as he clasped their joined hands to his chest. She stretched out her palm her own lips trembling. "I want you to go to Mount Sinai. Promise me. Jimmy, promise me you'll make an appointment." He nodded, leaning his head forward until it was resting on hers.


	3. Chapter 3

"Is it PWTC?" Kim whispered her hand laced through her husbands. He looked at her for a second before his eyes dropped to the floor.

"It's a possibility. It could also just be from chronic repeated smoke inhalation." The doctor muttered.

"Only." Jimmy chuckled.

"I assure you Captain Doherty that is the preferred option." He raised an eyebrow at him.

"Either way I'm sidelined." He shook his head. "It's over Kim."

"Jimmy do you have any idea how little I care about that right now?" She huffed rubbing her hand over her face.

"Easy for you to say. It's all I'm gonna be able to think about."

"We have an eight year old and a seventeen year old. How bout you think about them?"

"Captain Doherty, many firefighters with CRSI are still working. The ones with Post World Trade Center Lung Disease aren't. I assure you, it's the better alternative."

"Yeah I'm not really relishing either alternative right now!" Kim snapped. "We're ruling out that this is due to the last fire? The one at the chemical plant? That's not what this is about?"

"It started before that." Jimmy muttered.

"Not like this."

"It was an irritant Kim. This is PWTC. I know it. I've seen guys with it. It's what this is."

"You a doctor now?" She shook her head.

"You asked for this. You wanted me to come here. You knew this was what they were going to say. Now you're all optimistic?" Her eyes held his for a second before filling with tears and turning away. "What?" He called defensively before closing his eyes as her shoulders began to shake. "Shit. Kim-." She was out the door before he finished his sentence.

"Captain Doherty, there is no reason to expect the worst. Lets wait for your test results, schedule some more extensive radiology work ups.." Jimmy nodded his eyes never leaving the door." Your wife had asked about attending a wedding?"" Jimmy rolled his eyes for a second before nodding. "I don't see any problem with that as long as you bring you medications and take them accordingly."

He muttered a thank you as he pulled his shirt back on and made his way out the door and through the waiting room. Kim stood in the hallway with her back against the wall. He cupped her chin, raising her eyes to look at him and pressing his lips together. She nodded an answer to his silent question before taking her hand and leading her down the stairs.

* * *

"Sasha's family is staying at the Inn in town. So, we'll put my girls in the old cabin." 

"I better make sure the contractor put the finishing touches on the remodel." Sully shook his head slightly, between renovating the cabin and building Maggie's dream house he was loosing his mind. And money.

"Carlos, Holly and their girls in the big bedroom." Maggie continued. "Brendan and Grace can have the one across the hall from us. Kim and her husband-. What's his-?"

"Jimmy."

"Jimmy that's right, can have the blue bedroom. See I told you we needed seven bedrooms. You didn't believe me."

"We need seven bedrooms for this one event, Dear. Not for everyday life."

"Well we will once the grandchildren start coming."

"How many you expecting?" He chuckled dropping into the chair beside her.

"Two or three each child?" She grinned. Sully snorted. "Anyway, who else?"

"Faith and Bosco."

"Great, so Faith can take the sage room and he can have the-."

"About that." Sully moved his hand across his face, almost embarrassed that he had to say what he was about to say. "Your son and his bride have a little project they want us to help them orchestrate.."

Maggie met her husband's eye with a curious gaze as he started to explain.

* * *

"I don't understand."

"What's not to understand?" The Deputy Chief of Major Cases turned to her Captain. The man gave his boss a curious look. "I am leaving. I will be back in six days. You will not ruin my Department or Let the city go to hell while I'm gone."

"How am I supposed to-? I'm not qualified-."

"Derek, the Chief of Police for the city of New York has assured me on several occasions that you are, in fact, an intelligent person." The man's wide eyes got wider. "I know. I was shocked too. He feels that you can handle things here for six days. I had my doubts, but he's my boss, so." She shoved a crate of papers towards him, setting a few computer disks on top. "It's all you. Kathy is at your disposal, try not to get anyone killed."

"Chief I-."

"Derek my daughter informed me last night that I have no life. Even worse? That I used to have one, but apparently misplaced it." Faith nodded her head a few times. "I was shocked to find out that I do in fact have at least one friend remaining. He's getting married. I'm going... to see if I can find my life." She thrust the pile into his hands and started for the door before backing up and dropping her Department cell phone on top. "I'll be unreachable. Good luck."

* * *

"Eden get back here!" Carlos yelled, struggling with the suitcases and his five year old daughter. "Kes get your sister before she gets eaten by a bear."

"Bears aren't native to Upstate New York." Adilia muttered from his left. "Montana.. parts of the Dakota's.."

"Addie." He growled.

"Sorry."

"UNCLE TY!!!" The run away two year old launched herself at her god father almost sending him to the ground. The tall man recovered quickly, hurrying over to take Addie from her suitcase laden father.

"It's the flower girl gang!" He announced happily giving Carlos a funny glance. Kylie glanced up at him as he kissed the top of her head.

"Hi Uncle Ty." He shook his head at her.

"Not the same baby who used to keep me up at night."

The older girl shot her brown eyes to his with a smirk.

"Same baby." She muttered, taking Kestra's hand and hiking to where Sasha stood in the door way waving.

"Holly.." Ty leaned down and kissed her cheek. "Trade."

"I knew you were a good person." She muttered taking Eden and handing him the remaining suitcases. Adalia took her hand from Ty's and grabbed her mom's.

"Come on!" She muttered. "He's here!"

Behind Shasha, her nephew Dion watched with mild interest.

"Boy crazy?" Ty's eyebrows quirked up. Carlos shook his head.

"You have no idea."

"That sounds like lots of fun."

"Shut up." His friend chuckled.

"We put the girls in there own room after all."

"Doesn't that leave you short?" He wrinkled his nose up at his friend. Ty smirked before blowing out a breath.

"Don't repeat what I'm about to tell you. Not even to Kim." Davis looked at him pointedly as Carlos' face morphed from tired father into curious coconspirator.


	4. Chapter 4

"I think the idea of it will be enough to make him cave, but if not.."

"Crank up the cocky and annoying?" Brendan Finny grinned.

"You got it partner." Ty laughed. "It'll work like a charm. As far as Bosco's concerned. if anyone's going to be cocky and annoying it's gonna be him."

"Speaking of cocky and annoying.." Brendan looked towards the front yard where Bosco's hummer was approaching with a pompously hearty rumble. "Here it comes."

"Perfect timing." A slow smile tugged at Ty's lips as he glanced behind him at the small black BMW keeping a safe distance. "Sasha, they're here."

Monroe set the beer down in front of Jimmy and Kim and made her way towards the front of the house with them curiously in toe.

Carlos was on the porch, momentarily frustrated at the interruption. He grabbed Eden, holding her back from the sudden traffic, his face going slack with a slow nod as he realized it was 55 David on the scene. Bosco had already killed his engine, giving Nieto a curt jerk of the head as he dropped with a thud from the monster vehicle. Carlos stifled a groan, Ty didn't' bother as he joined his friend.

"Awh God Bosco. People are living to be one hundred now. Isn't it a little early for your mid life crisis?" He teased, his feet coming off the steps and across the gravel.

"Ha Ha." Boscorelli smirked, tapping the side of the Hummer. "This is the only way to travel. I'm telling you Davis, I almost want to let you drive it just so you can feel it's power."

Ty clapped Bosco's back in an uncharacteristic hug as Sasha made her way down the steps.

"Good lord Bosco what the hell!" She laughed trotting across the yard and launching herself at her one time partner.He caught her clumsily, looking more than a little uncomfortable as she hugged him.

Carlos watched the look of discomfort turn to raw emotion as Ty spoke.

"Hey Faith." Davis called warmly.

She looked out of place, her black dress suite covered now with the still swirling dust Bosco's mammoth truck had kicked up.

"Davis." She hugged him conservatively, her eyes still on Bosco, his eyes still wide and starring off into the woods. The air around them suddenly felt very uneasy with 55 David this out of whack.

"Shit the whole damn precinct is in my front yard." Bellowed the voice of salvation from his front porch. "Maggie you better get out here before they start shooting at each other."

"Holy Crap!" Jimmy grinned like a child at Christmas as he circled Bosco's truck. "Is this the HV8?"

At the sound of someone adoring his truck, Bosco managed to shake off the shock of his ex partner.

"Yeah.. Yeah.. it's the Limited Edition." He moved towards Jimmy with a quick stolen glance at Faith. Who for her part was still starring down at the swirling dust.

Ty swung Faith's bags away from her as she starred into the trunk.

"You got a Beemer?" Ty whispered.

"She's the second in line behind the police commissioner Ty she can have what ever car she wants." Sasha admonished.

"Still, Faith Yokas in a Beemer, that takes some getting used to. "

"Mitchell." She muttered in irritation, her face going blank moments before mortified.

"Sorry, I'm not used to.."

"No.. oh God I'm sorry it's reflex." She murmured suddenly looking like Faith Yokas in dress up clothes. She ran her hands up her neck and piled her hair on top of her head before letting it fall away. "I'm so sorry."

"It's fine." Sully said sweetly slamming the trunk of her car and leading her towards the house. "How you doing Faith?"

"I'm good." She lied sheepishly, nodding her head slowly. Davis watched Bosco's eyes turn and follow her false tone until she'd disappeared into the house.

* * *

"No way." Bosco said quickly looking over Ty's shoulder at Finney with a look of pure disdain. Ty wondered if he'd ever forgiven him for wrecking 55 David. 

"Bosco I'm sorry man it just worked out that way."

"You can bunk with me." Jimmy smirked from the couch.

"Shut it Doherty." He growled. "I'll sleep on the couch."

"We sent it to the cabin. My brother-in-law's sleeping on it." Ty faked a wince and thanked Bosco silently for being so predictable even after all these years. "It's not gonna be that bad. Both rooms have twin beds."

"I can go to a hotel." Faith whispered softly from the doorway, Ty could feel the man beside him tense.

"No!" Sasha whined walking into the room and linking her arm through Bosco's. "I want us all to stay here together." She gave him a pleading glance. "You said you would stay."

"There's really only one in town anyway and Sasha's family has it booked anyway." Ty tried not to smile.

"Please don't make me stay with Finney." Bosco balked, tossing his head back towards the ceiling before his pathetic gaze accidentally landed on his former partner.

He blinked away after a moment, but the damage was done. As usual, and as planned, she was sunk.

"He can stay with me." Her voice was almost too soft to hear.

"Really?" The hopeful amazement of his tone wasn't lost on Davis or Monroe.

Faith shrugged.

"We slept in Em and Charlie's room for a month when you got out of Mercy. What's one week?" She looked from the ceiling to the kitchen before dropping her eyes to the floor. "It's fine." She slipped back into the kitchen, his eyes followed her. Ty thought it was the first familiar look he'd seen Bosco give Faith since Camelot imploded.

"Thank you." Bosco whispered to the already empty doorway.

* * *

"What about Carlos?" 

"Kim."

"I just think if you talked to someone.."

"I don't need to talk to anyone. And if I did it wouldn't be some trauma resident."

"Some trauma resid-? He was my partner. He was with the FDNY for eight years."

"Not anymore."

"So talk to Holly."

"Holly wasn't there."

"Not on the eleventh, but she was there after."

"We were all there after." Jimmy all but shouted. Kim stopped looking at him with wide eyes. "Sorry."

"I just thought you might want to see if anyone else has had problems."

"I know people that have had problems."

"Not anyone from the 55." She sighed.

"So I ain't with the 55!" He spat, looking at her in annoyance. Kim leaned forward, looking out the window with a shrug.

"You're with them right now."


	5. Chapter 5

"I don't know." Holly whispered looking out over the area where her daughters were playing. "He doesn't like to talk about it, you know?"

"So you don't ask?" Grace Finney raised an eyebrow shaking her head slowly. "I couldn't do that."

"It's something between him and Kim." Holly admitted. "I wasn't there. I don't know what happened. All I know is he made Carlos the doctor he is." Grace turned to face her friend. "The man he is maybe, and I can't just assume the worst."

"He shot a man." Grace said softly. "On purpose."

"Yeah." She nodded.

"A Firefighter. A Captain."

"Yeah." Holly nodded again. "But Carlos and Kim say he's a good man and I believe them."

"They shouldn't let people like that out on the streets. The guy flipped out once, who's to say he wouldn't do it again?" Grace shook her head.

"The people at Bellview." Holly lifted her eyes to Grace with a soft shrug. "Eden?" She whispered suddenly, jumping to her feet and rushing to the edge of the porch."Eden Nieto get back here!"

"I got her!" Kylie had already spotted her baby sister on the edge of the woods and was chasing her down.

"You finally got a wild one."

"She's crazy."

"Danny's crazy too." Grace smiled at the idea of her son, the crease from their previous topic never leaving her brow. "They're the same age."

"Kestra and Adalia were never like this." She shook her head. "The Kenney's assure me that Kylie was never ever like this."

"Then it's just one then? It's safe for me to have another?"

"No guarantees." Holly half grinned. Kylie made her way up the stairs with Eden in tow. "You can't run away like that! It's not safe."

"I want Daddy!" She huffed, kicking at her mother's shin.

"Daddy wouldn't let you do it either!" Holly huffed right back, tugging her daughter into the house. "And now you have a time out." She turned back to Grace. "We shouldn't mention the other thing to Kim and Carlos." She said softly Grace nodded after her with concern before turning and slinging her hand onto Kylie's shoulder.

"Maybe I'll let Danny be an only child after all."

The ten year old nodded authentically as Grace followed her down the steps to her sisters.

* * *

"Hey." Sasha walked to the end of the dock and sat beside her former coworker. 

"Hi." Faith's eyes darted back across the lake.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah.." Faith sighed. "It's just strange. Sitting out here doing nothing."

"Strange?"

"You have no idea how long it's been since I've done.. nothing." The jacket from her suite was gone and she'd shed her four inch heals. Sasha picked one up and turned it around in front of her.

"Are these?"

"Armani." Faith muttered without looking.

"Damn." Monroe set the shoe back down gingerly.

Faith turned towards her, the corner of her mouth lifting into a amused smirk.

"Sometimes.." She started, her smirk breaking as her eyes once again slipped to the water. She squinted like if she tried hard enough she could see across to the other shore.

"What?" Sasha prompted softly.

"Sometimes I think I'd give it all up." She admitted, sucking in a breath and holding it before letting it out slowly. "Get back in a radio car with Boz.." Her grin looked out of place when the single tear slipped down her cheek. "Direct traffic for the bucket boys."

Sasha grinned at her sadly.

"You should tell him that." She offered, watching remorsefully as Faith scrambled to her feet, grasping her four hundred dollar shoes.

"We don't tell each other things anymore." She whispered as she started back up the muddy path to the house. Sasha watched her go, her brown eyes blinking slowly as she contemplated what she'd have to do to get them back to being _them_.

* * *

"I haven't done this since I was in the army." Bosco admitted, juggling the pole and tackle box as he marched up the hill behind Sully. 

"It'll be good for you." The older man grumbled. "Give you some time to sit and think."

"I think plenty." Bosco murmured.

"You don't think. You crank up the super wolfers in your Hummer and drive around looking for trouble." He jibbed. "It's time to reflect Bosco. Regroup."

"I'm here with all a you ain't I? _That's_ regrouping." He protested, turning around to look at Sullivan. "And I spent enough time reflecting to last me a life time."

"Reflecting when your sauced doesn't count." Sully laughed.

"Well.. then I probably haven't done much." The lopsided grin fell off his face as his eyes drifted past the older man. Sully craned his head around as a quick blur of strawberry blonde and black flew by. He couldn't have told you who it was until he heard Bosco's unintentional call. "Faith..?"

They both froze, starring after her long after she'd turned the corner.

"Maybe you should go see if she's okay?" John Sullivan's voice was kind.

"We don't do that anymore." Bosco answered sadly turning back towards the dock, nodding at Sasha who was slipping back towards the house.

* * *

"How come we never talk about nine eleven?" Kim asked suddenly, Carlos stopped midway through the brush, glancing a head of himself towards Addy and Kes. 

"What?"

"We were with each other down there everyday for months. You stood beside me at the ten year remembrance. Doc even brought it up last time we visited and you and I never talk about nine eleven." Kim rambled shaking her head and shrugging her shoulders.

"I don't know. It's not really something you talk about." Carlos whispered, his eyes still glued on his two middle children.

"Maybe it should be." She starred at him with pleading eyes.

"Is this about Doc?"

"No!"

"You don't think he's ready, do you?" He accused.

"No Carlos I never said-."

"I can't believe you Kim! He's counting on your support."

"Jimmy has PWTC." She shouted, causing Carlos to stop dead in his tracks and his girls to turn back towards them. Nieto looked at her in horror.

"God Kim."

"They think it's PWTC. Maybe.."

"Has he had bronch?"

"Not yet."

"Shit Kim." He shook his head. "He has symptoms?" She nodded fiercely swiping at the tears falling on her cheeks. He looked back at his girls. "Find a yellow leaf, two smooth rocks and.. some.. moss." He instructed with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Hold hands!" He rummaged through his pockets before producing a small package of tissues, pulling one out and handing it to her. "You're telling me now?"

"He doesn't want me to.."

"Shit Kimmy."

"I know." She moaned flopping down on the nearest log. "I know."

"This is a big deal." She nodded at him. "No other guys from the 55 have been diagnosed?"

"DK's fine. Joey and Billy are fine." She shook her head ruefully.

"Then maybe it's something else."

"Maybe." She said with false hopefulness.

"I can recommend a guy."

"We went to the study guy. He's evaluating him."

"Donaldson?" She nodded. "Good." He nodded his head at her before reaching out and swinging his arm over her shoulder. "Damn it."

* * *

"Well.." Ty looked around the table with a grin. Only Brendan and his mother looked back. "Everyone have a good first day?" 

Finney nodded, reaching over Grace to grab the salad bowl. She made a face and he set it down and waited for her to pass it. "You and Bosco catch anything Sul?"

"Some Croppie." His stepfather sighed, lifting his head to look at him.

"You guys get sun? You look tired."

"Yeah." Bosco whispered. "It was.. sunny."

"Honey?" Ty looked at Sasha optimistically, only to find her starring at Faith. She smiled back at him before pulling a roll out of the basket between them.

"What about you Chief? You miss Manhattan?" He asked brightly, ignoring the glares he received from Bosco, Sully and Sasha.

Faith smiled briefly, letting it tumble off her face in record speed and pressing her lips together.

"The roast looks wonderful Maggie." She spoke quietly, the sides of her lips twitching in failed attempts at smiles.

"Thank you, Faith."

"I'm surprised you still eat cooked meat. The way they talk about you on the streets I'd have thought you chew the flesh right off the caucus." Finney grinned, still chomping down on pieces of salad.

"Shut the hell up." Bosco blurted, making a sour face as each word seemed to hit another key.

"Ooo Sorry." Finney raised his eyebrows at Bosco before turning to Ty with a smirk. "I thought she was the mama tiger."

"Brendan." Sully shook his head slowly. "Listen to Bosco and shut up."

Detective Boscorelli was still eyeing his perp with distant as he took the plate of potatoes, scooping some out before turning to Faith. She sat completely still, starring at her plate in silence. He waited for her to look up, absentmindedly scooping her a spoonful of potatoes before passing them on to Sasha.

He gave Finney another death stare, before looking back to watch Faith take a bite of potatoes.

"She has to be hard nosed now to run with all those old men." Monroe decided defensively.

"It's gotta be hard." Kim shook her head. "She's a mother for Christ sake. I know what they say about the woman firefighters who have kids. I can't imagine it's better with cops. I'd be a hard ass too."

"I don't know why you guys are acting like my partner was some kinda June Freaking Cleaver here for Christ Sake!" Bosco growled.

"I didn't mean anything by it." Finney balked, giving his wife a innocent glance.

"Then why'd you say it?!" Bosco asked leaning forward in his chair.

"It was a joke." The man held up his hands in surrender.

"It wasn't funny." Boscorelli got to his feet.

"What are you gonna do? Hit me?"

"Don't tempt me!"

"Boz." The single word brought the room to attention. Maybe because of the softness of her voice, or that she had addressed him at all. Or perhaps it was that no one had heard her use that term of endearment for her long lost partner since before everyone knew that Maritza Cruz was a dirty cop.

Beside her, her partner stilled, like her voice saying that name was code for at ease. He eyed Finney again before dropping back into his chair and stabbing at his roast. The never made eyecontact and she never said another word. Sully started another round of conversation with Jimmy on the status of some of the old 55 Bucket boys and the table fell back into normalcy. Except for 55 David. Despite the moment that had occurred, there was still nothing normal about 55 David.


	6. Chapter 6

Slowly they'd started off to bed. Holly'd carried Eden off first, gesturing for Addy and Kes to follow. Carlos gave Kylie a look and the little girl jumped up, trailing after her stepmother and sisters.

"They're good kids." Jimmy smiled at him. "You're lucky."

"I'd have been luckier with boys." Carlos rubbed his face. "Four girls'll kill you. We only have Kylie part time and man.."

"She looks just like you."

"Yeah. Her and Eden. Kes and Addy look like Holly." He grinned before turning back to Jimmy. He gave the man a once over. Doherty's head dropped back slightly.

"She told you." He huffed, shaking his head slowly from side to side.

"I think she had to tell someone before she exploded." Carlos bobbed his face down to the floor. "She wanted to know why we never talk about nine eleven. Like we should all be sitting around chatting about it or something."

"Cause I have.. probably have.. _Post World Trade Center Lung Disease_." The fire Captain mused. "We should have a circle jerk about what was in the air we all sucked in for weeks."

"What the hell kind of name is Post World Trade Center.. sounds like a documentary not a disease." Nieto took a swig of the beer next to him.

"You see a lot of it? In med school?" Jimmy's voice had lost it's humor. Carlos looked at him, wondering how someone so big could look so breakable. He nodded slowly. "I know some guys with it. Some alive and seeming okay. Others already dead."

"The guys I saw as a med student weren't first responders." Carlos admitted. "Mostly homeless from the area. People who didn't know to get the hell out of there."

"Most of um dead?" Carlos nodded. "Dumb bastards.I never really thought about all the homeless. It's really something more people didn't die on the street when those damn things came down."

"I was down there.." Came a quiet voice from the doorway. "After the first plane hit.."

"Shit." Carlos looked towards Bosco.

"It was.. No one really knew what was happening.." Jimmy nodded at the cop.

"The first building was going when we crossed the bridge." Doherty told him. "We just stopped and watched for a while. There was no place to go to."

Carlos looked between them.

"Doc picked me up a bread truck." Carlos laughed, sniffing back the memory. "He commandeered it outside of the minimart by my house. He said we'd need it to transport all the wounded." He looked at Jimmy. "_All the wounded_."

"They never came." Jimmy shook his head as he whispered.. "You were either walking away or dust." Bosco flinched beside him. "All that dust.." He raised an eyebrow at Carlos. "'S gonna make Kimmy a widow."

* * *

He stood in the doorway of the dim room until he was sure she was asleep. Creeping slowly towards the other twin bed, he tried to pretend that the conversation he'd just left wasn't making the blood rush in his head. 

He pulled off his T-shirt, wondering if he should put it back on. He looked at her again, she was defiantly asleep and it wasn't like she hadn't seen him shirtless a million times. His hands slid self consciously over the scars across his torso. She'd seen them too, tried to stop the bleeding when they were fresh and gushing, changed the bandages when he'd first gotten out of the hospital, drawn her fingers over them in the middle of the night when he'd woken up from another nightmare sweaty and gasping.

But that was another lifetime ago. Another person ago. He thought, looking at the virtual stranger curled on the bed opposite him. He couldn't breakdown in front of this woman. He couldn't fall into her and know she'd take the fear and pain away. He could only stare at her and wonder what the hell happened to them.

"You gonna sit there and look at me all night or go to bed?" She asked softly, his eyes dropping away quickly.

"Thought you were asleep." He muttered pulling off his shoes and dropping back onto the mattress.

"I know." She whispered somewhat remorsefully. "Mattress sucks."

He took a deep breath, stretching out in the other bed.

"This one's okay."

"Yeah." She muttered softly.

"Take this one." He sat back up again, tossing back the blanket.

"You should." She said softly.

"Faith.."

"I'll be fine."

"Stop being a martyr!" He hollered in frustration.

"You'll be sore and complain all damn day!" She yelled back sitting up on the bed and facing him head on.

"Your back's way worse than my hip!" He pointed his finger at her angrily.

"Yeah but I won't complain!" She quipped.

"No but I'll watch you move around like an old lady all day and feel like an ass now take the damn bed!" He jumped to his feet.

"No." She flopped back down, and rolled towards the wall, the old mattress creaking uncomfortably. He shook his head before gathering her up off the bed and dropping her onto the better one.

"Whatever." He jumped onto the other bed, trying to bite back a groan as he came into contact with the frame underneath it. "Shit." He turned over onto his back. "Where they hell did they get this? Dante's goth emporium?" He struggled to find a comfortable spot as the room slipped into silence. Then he heard the soft undeniable sound of her choppy breaths. "Faith.." He moved again so he could stare at her in the darkness. It was only then that she realized she'd left the light on in the closet. He smiled at the gesture, knowing full well why she'd done it. "Faith don't cry."

"Go to sleep Bosco." She whimpered, pulling the blankets further up and around her shoulders. He sat up, watching her for a second before crossing the room and laying beside her on the bed. She flinched for just a second as his arms tentatively snaked around her small form. He pulled her flush against him, only the comforter and her t-shirt between them.

"This beds more comfortable." He breathed, with a nod of his head .

"What ever." She feigned irritation. "Just go to sleep."

Bosco was already to busy justifying his actions to notice her. He figured it was better this way. He'd just spent the last hour reliving one of the most damaging moments of his life with Jimmy and Carlos and he knew from experience that Faith's presence would chase the nightmare's away.

He swallowed hard, hoping it still worked that way. She sighed again, relaxing into sleep. Only then did her cautiously lower his head to the bed, tucking his nose against her shoulder and closing his eyes.

* * *

"I think somethings up with Jimmy and Kim." Davis muttered, clearing away the last of the beer bottles. His eyes sweeping towards the hall as 55 David argued loudly enought to wake the dead.

"It's not working." Monroe moaned looking down the hall as the shouting subsided.

"It is too. They always fought." Davis shook his head. "Did you see the way he jumped out of his chair to defend her at dinner?"

"You didn't see her at the dock." She brushed the back of her hand across her cheek.

"Maybe it's just too late Sasha." Ty offered.

"Don't say that!" She swat at her boyfriends arm.

"It may be too late, Baby." He tugged her into his embrace pressing his lips against her shoulder.

"He ran into the church Ty." She whispered softly. "Right in the middle of the ceremony."

"That was a long time ago Sasha." Davis rocked her slowly back and forth.

"He just stood there shaking his head at her with these.. pleading eyes.."

"I know I was there."

"I convinced him to do it. I practically pushed him down the isle." She looked back down the hall. "They're supposed to be together."

"I know." Ty gave the door an appraising look. "Give them some more time."


	7. Chapter 7

****

A/N this is a boz faith back story chapter.. don't worry it's still an ensemble piece.. but.. I'm a BF shipper! So there.

_

* * *

_

_July 2009_

_"You wanted to see me, Sir?" She didn't make eye contact. Just stared straight a head a the wall behind him._

_"I got your message." He says curtly. "And I'm giving you another chance"_

_"At what? At you?"_

_"Yes. At me, at a family. A chance to be a good mother this time." She pretends that the words don't sting her as she turns and looks at him. "Here." The familiar black box bounced across his desk. "Put it on."_

_"Excuse me?"_

_"We'll do something small. Courthouse or Atlantic City what ever."_

_"What part of **'I can't marry you John'** didn't you get?"_

_"You can't walk around here pregnant with my child with out a ring on your finger Faith."_

_"I work here. I can walk around how ever I'd like."_

_"It won't look good."_

_"What?"_

_"To the promotion board. You having to be on restricted duty, then leave. Being a single mother on top of that.." His eyebrows raised off his face with a smirk._

_"I'm already a single mother." She growled._

_"Sure.. Sure.. part time.. when it's convenient for you." He continued to thumb through the papers. _

_"Go to hell."_

_"In case you forgot? My bride walked out on our wedding. I'm already in hell." He nodded at the box. "Put it back on."_

_"Not in this life time." She breathed shaking her head slowly._

_"It's a shame really, about the promotion." _

_"They've all but given me the promotion."_

_"I had all but given you the promotion." He said sharply. "I made you. Don't forget that. I make the decisions." He picked up the box and tossed it at her. "Now put it on."_

* * *

She woke up with a gasp, he stirred behind her reminding her of his presence. His presence, she decides is the reason for the nightmare of a memory. He made a quiet noise and she slowly turned in his arms knowing what her distress can do to him. She whispered her condolences for disturbing him in soft coos. She smoothed away the tension in his brow, only catching herself when his eyes slipped open. They didn't do this anymore. It was not 2004 and they are not in a hospital room, or in her children's bedroom.

His eyes dropped shut again.

"Faith?" The soft recognition of his voice made her heart clench. He didn't remember that this was forbidden now either.

"It's okay go back to sleep." She sighed, creeping closer into his arms. "Go to sleep." Her eyes shut and she was asleep almost instantly.

She missed the way his eyes suddenly popped open in the dark, looking at her warily before shaking off his shock and pulling her tighter.

_

* * *

_

_April 2009_

_"You're late."_

_"I had to drive Charlie to Queens for a soccer tournament." He whispered flopping down into the chair across from her._

_"You saw Faith?" He looked away. "I didn't know that you-."_

_"I don't." He said softly. "Since Fred died I.. I try to do things with Charlie."_

_"That's really sweet Bosco." _

_"Sure..." He looked away and she zeroed in on the pained look on his face._

_"What happened?"_

_"He told me to pick him up on the West side.. gave me an address." His head dropped towards the table top. _

_"Bosco what happened?"_

_"I get there and it says The Stylish Bride." He grinned over Monroe's shoulder. "And there she is.. all white and satin.. "_

_"Emily?" Sasha's voice was even too hopeful for her. Bosco snickered, shaking his head slowly. _

_"She's marrying Miller?"_

_"I guess so."_

_"You didn't know?"_

* * *

He blinked his eyes back open and looked at her in the darkness. She looked different, older, exhausted, broken, but still undoubtedly Faith. He wondered if she was even still in there or if it was just wishful thinking. Untangling her from his arms he wandered out of the room, plopping down on one of the chairs in the living room.

"Faith kick you out too..?"

"SHIT!" He turned towards Doherty with a jump in the dark room.

"Sorry." He snickered. "Trouble in Paradise?"

"Paradise? Where the hell you been?" He snorted. " You fightin' with Zambrano?"

"Ah.. I threw a fit she told Carlos.."

"Bad idea man."

"Yeah." He smiled again and Bosco made a face at Jimmy's 'irresistible' dimples. "Specially since I didn't even care."

"Fightin' just to fight?" Jimmy nodded. "Sounds like me."

"I never told you.. how bold I thought it was.. what you did. Stupid, but bold."

"Yeah well. I asked a favor from the Bucket Boy's and where'd the hell it get me? She didn't marry Miller but hey.." He held up his left hand. "No ring here either. Thanks for the ride though.. it impressed people.."

"I was talking about that high speed MVA last week. The one where you climbed in the flaming car and got the kid out before we got there?" He smirked at Bosco. "But the rushing to stop a wedding on a fire engine thing was cool too."

Bosco looked at him with a blank expression before he started laughing. He was snorting back tears by the time Jimmy joined in.

"Go back to your wife." Bosco gasped a few minutes later. "Tell her you're an ass."

"Go wake up your partner and tell her you still love her." Jimmy countered, swinging his legs over the side of the chair.

"Whatever." Bosco sighed before pointing at Jimmy with a scowl. "We ain't friends." He warned, just like he had after every conversation he'd had with Jimmy Doherty since he'd ended up back with him and Kim at the 7-9. "Don't start telling people we're friends."

"Couldn't pay me enough.." Jimmy called, making his way down the hall

* * *

_July 2009_

_"I honestly can't believe you even came here."_

_"I'm asking for your help."_

_"You barely got ten minutes for me these days. I ran into the middle of a damn wedding. You can't return a fucking phone call." He shook his head at her. "You think I'm going to help you now?"_

_"I need you."_

_"You need-." He shook his head. "I can't do this."_

_" Bosco.." _

_"You need me? Where've you been Faith? My mother had a heart attack Faith. I needed you. Where the hell were you?" She made a move towards him and he backed up quickly. "I can't believe you even came here and asked.." _

_"**I have no one else**." She choked, his eyes whipped to hers. "Remember when you said that to me? I helped you then Bosco."_

_"And it destroyed us Faith!" He yelled, his eyes wide and sharply honed in on hers. "It destroyed us."_

_"No. We got it back Bosco! **'To hell with you' **Remember?" She gasped against the sudden rush of tears.** "To hell with you.'** that's what did destroyed us."_

_

* * *

_

He knew if he could go back it would be different. He knew she'd be different.

It was three months later when he read about her second abortion in the editors column of the New York Times.

It was six months after she'd begged him for help that she won the sexual harassment case that drug her name through the mud. Saving her career, but ruining her life.

Maybe if he'd forgive himself he'd know she never really blamed him for turning her away. Maybe that would have just make things worse.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/****N**** Gulp. This was the first part of the story that came to my head. I've been dreading writing it cause.. well.. I mean.. I hate screwing with other people's kids.. even the fake ones.**

**

* * *

**Kylie and Kes were having there dresses altered, and Carlos and Addy were deep in discussion. 

"I don't like the blue ones."

"I know Adalia but I'm out of the pink ones."

"Two pink equal one blue."

"I'm out of the pink Addy you have to take them."

"You should have counted. We needed ten pink."

"I did count."

"Obviously not."

"Adalia Kimberly Nieto." His voice rumbled out of his chest in one long string.

"But if you counted, we'd have ten."

"I dropped them." He admitted. "I had more then ten but I dropped them. When Daddy went to the pharmacy, they only had blue."

"I don't like the-." The sigh from her father broke off her rebuke.

"Addy what are these?" He held up the small blue pill, his eye brow quirked.

"Anti-rejection."

"What happens if you reject?"

"Hospital."

"What happens in the hospital."

"IV."

"Then we won't have to worry 'bout pink or blue." He shrugged his shoulders, slowly starting to dump the little blue pill back into the bottle.

"Wait." Her slim hand jetted out, touching his wrist. "Give it."

He dropped it into her hand, watching her cautiously chew with a horrified expression before swallowing hard.

"Thank you."

The storm door opened and Kes and Kylie wandered out, stripped back down to clam diggers and spaghetti straps. He smiled widely at Holly who stood silently taking inventory of the yard.

"Eden." She whispered in dreamlike stillness. Carlos blinked, his head turning towards the door as hers turned towards the small sand box beside the porch. Kylie looked between her father and stepmother before her eyes flew wide.

"EDEN!" She screamed, turning her body all the way around, her eyes searching frantically. Carlos had started towards the house, turning to look at his oldest child. "She wasn't with us!" Kylie whimpered. The trauma doc flipped his eyes to his wife who was tearfully shaking her head in agreement.

"Eden.." His voice was still calm despite the cold panic he could feel in his chest. "Eden!"

Holly started yelling too. Her eyes shut firmly, fist clenched at her side as she called out her youngest daughters name. That had been all it took to press Carlos forward, rushing into the house.

"KIM!" He screamed up the stairwell, rushing around the living room looking for any sign of her at all. "KIM!" His eyes turned towards the large single paneled french doors that framed the view of the muddy glistening lake before them, and he took of running.

* * *

Zambrano knew two things, her partner needed her now, and it was bad. Jimmy set down the book he was reading and jumped to his feet and she started down the steps after the yell. 

"Carlos??" The doors where open and she could see him running. Then she heard Holly.

"Eden! Eden!" The tone grew more frantic with each call. Jimmy rushed up behind her.

"The lake." She breathed softly, watching her husband take off in a dead run after Carlos. She followed, grabbing Holly by the shoulders and turning her to face her.

"She's gone." Holly sobbed. "She's.. "

"She ran off." Kylie answered, Kim's face flipping around to her.

"How long ago?"

"We don't know." Kylie answered honestly, looking at Holly. "We don't know."

"We didn't' notice!" Holly screamed, tearing away from Kim and starting towards the front of the yard. "We didn't' even fucking notice!"

Kim gathered up AddyKes and Kylie, ushering them quickly into the house.

"TY!" She screamed running towards the basement stairs. "DAVIS!!" He appeared at the landing quickly, one hand on each of the stair railings, the tailor still flanking him.

"What's wrong?" A concerned Sully was right behind him.

"Eden."

It was enough for anyone who knew Eden Christian Nieto and her tendency to run away.

"Eden ran away." He called to his stepfather as Sully charged up the stairs on his heals.

"The little one?" Sully asked gruffly Faith had made her way into the mix and was standing behind Kim nodding quickly.

"How long?" Ty said quickly tossing off the tuxedo jacket he was being fitted for and sprinting towards the door.

"They don't know."

"They don't know?" Sully asked slowly.

"How long are we talking here? Minutes? Hours?" Ty begged, Kim just shook her head.

"I saw her at lunch." She breathed. Ty's eyes flashed and he was out the door in seconds.

"I'm gonna get Boz." Faith muttered peeling off down the hall.

"Brendan!" Sully's voice echoed off the wall as he turned and started back down to the basement.

* * *

"Did you see her go in?" He yelled, pushing Carlos back from his path, Nieto swerved around him but Jimmy held him firmly. The girl's father shook his head frantically, still craning to see the lake. "Hear anything?! See ANYTHING?" 

He shook his head again.

"Don't go in the water!" He yelled, Carlos looked at him like he was crazy. "I swear Nieto don't go in the water. Trust me."Carlos held his eyes before nodding and Jimmy let him go, rushing down the dock. "Look for anything. Bubbles foot prints, shoes, impact rings, anything!" They combed the muddy shore. Coming up empty as Ty ran towards them.

"Anything?"

"No!" Jimmy yelled back. "I'll keep looking! Go around front." He gave Carlos a quick gesture, the man looked back at the lake before starring Jimmy Doherty in the eye. "Trust me." He muttered almost pleadingly. Carlos nodded before chasing his roommate up the hill.

* * *

Bosco!" He stuck his head out of the shower stall, meeting her frantic eyes as she stilled at the sight of him. 

"What's wrong?" She blinked a few times, taking a slow staggered breath as he grabbed the towel and wrapped it around him before pulling the curtain back. "Faith what's wrong?"

"Carlos and Holly's little girl is missing."

"Missing?" She nodded and he grabbed the pair of boxers and cargo shorts on the tank of the toilet and began stepping into them. "Which one?"

"The little one." She looked at him fearfully. "Eden."

"The one that's always running away?" She nodded again and he dropped the towel, pulling on his t-shirt and brushing past her. "Come on."

She followed him with out another word.

"We need radios!" He yelled barging through the front door and addressing the crowd.

"I've only got two." Sully shook his head.

"I've got a pair in the trunk." Faith added, taking off towards her BMW.

"Addy.." Kim said softly. "Did you bring your walkie-talkies?" The little girl nodded. Bosco and Kim smiled.

"She's the next Faith Yokas. Always one step ahead." He beamed. "Go get them partner."

Faith had stilled behind him when he spoke, she watched the little girl run off. Boz winked at her when he saw her before leaning in to talk strategy.

"Sul, you and Ty can go east, Faith and me'll go west." Addy appeared, thrusting her walkie talkies at Bosco who looked them over before passing them to Ty who fussed with the radios in an attempt to get them together with the toys. He smiled in success and started passing them out.

"We can go down towards the cabin" Monroe said looking at Bosco for approval before slapping Finney's arm. He nodded at her before squeezing Grace's hand. She looked at her husband before looking back at Kim.

"Lake?" She asked softly and Zombrano nodded.

"What about us?" Carlos said softly.

"Take your family inside. Maggie's trying to reach the Sheriff." Sully nodded.

"I can't just.."

"Take them inside Carlos." Kim pleaded looking from Addy who Holly was hugging fiercely to her chest, to Kylie who had a tight grip on her little sister Kestra. He followed her gaze before nodding."We'll find her Carlos."

The group pulled back from their huddle and started off in different directions. Bosco glanced at Faith who nodded back scrambling out of her heals and into a pair of sneakers she'd snagged with the radios. He held her elbow as she forced her foot into them and they took off in the direction of the setting sun.


	9. Chapter 9

"Eden!" Bosco called again. "Eden answer me!" He let his eyes sweep the area, falling over the branches. He watched faith pick at the bushes before moving forward slightly and starting again. "Okay come on you're too quiet."

"What? You're yelling her name every thirty seconds. That's protocol."

"Yeah.. well.. we used to talk while we searched."

"What do you wanna talk about? The Nic's? A kid's missing Bosco!" He bent down to look in a large hollow log.

"No shit? That explains it then." He rolled his eyes. "Chief."

She twirled to face him.

"Don't do that to me."

"I'm not doing anything to you." He muttered moving the allotted amount of space and yelling again. "Eden! Where are you?"

"Yeah right you're not doing anything to me. Nothing." She whispered frantically as he held up his hand to shush her so he can listen. His hand dropped away as he rolled his eyes and looked back at her. "Just abandoning me."

"Abandoning you?!" He shouted before they both jump in shock looking around embarrassed.

"Yes." She hissed. "I offered you an opportunity that would take years for you to get anywhere else."

"Jeez Faith. Thanks so much." He growled.

"I asked you to be my Lieutenant."

"And I said no." He grinned at her sadistically. "In the same lovely type written form letter authenticity that I was asked in."

"Don't give me that crap Bosco."

"It even had the same auto stamped signature you so thoughtfully used on my mother's _get well soon_ card!" The smile got sickeningly sweeter as he cocked his head. "It was so nice of your secretary to think of her!"

"What did you want? Huh? Little pink hearts and loopy letters spelling out Your Faith?"

"No. No." He charged towards her for a second before stopping and turning away. "**You** are not _My Faith_." He pointed his finger at her sharply. "My Faith would have returned my call the night it happened. My Faith would have driven to Mercy without a second thought and My Faith would have sat in the waiting room with me until they told me she was still alive!" He stopped yelling looking around for a second before kicking the nearest piece of nature. "EDEN WHERE ARE YOU!"

Faith watched him, for a second as he moved forward and began his search again. She pressed her lips together tightly, gaining control before following his lead.

* * *

"This is just Fucking fantastic." Davis muttered, pulling himself up from the ground after looking in a hole. 

"It'll be fine. We'll find her she'll be fine and in two days you'll get married. "

"As if Carlos' life isn't complicated enough."

"With Addie's problems, his residency." Sully shook his head.

"Doc." Ty added, turning to look at his partner. Sully stared back. "He and Kim testified at his competency hearing. He's probably going to be released into Carlos' care."

"What?" Sully looked up for a second. "Eden! Where are you? We're looking for you. Come out now!"

They waited a few seconds before Sully turned back to him.

"He needed a legal guardian or they were going to make him go to a half way house in New Jersey."

"Seriously?" Sully shook his head when Davis nodded. "Crap."

"He called to thank me." Ty took a deep breath. "I left some flowers.. for Alex. It was the anniversary of her death. I know he and Kim go see Doc then go to the fire house memorial. He said Kim really appreciated it. Then he says Doc's probably coming to live with him soon. He's not ready for any of us to visit.. Kim really appreciated it.. then he's gotta go."

"Crap."

"Yeah." He took a deep breath. "He's so damn-. He's gonna move him in with his wife and kids Sul. He watched him shoot a man in cold blood and now he's gonna let him move-."

"He's gotten help."

"Yeah."

* * *

"She's not in there." 

Grace jumped when she heard Holly's light voice, turning away from the lake towards her.

"You should be in the house." She said lamely. Looking over to where Jimmy and Kim were still searching a couple hundred feet away.

"I just came to tell you that." She said sweetly, sitting down on the edge of the doc. "I'd know."

Grace looked into the water.

"You asked me before. About Kim and Carlos and Doc?"

Grace nodded.

"I don't' know about Doc." She turned her swollen eyes to the other blonde. "But Kim says he trusts him more than anyone." She looked back at the river. "I know how much he trusts Kim. I know how much I trust Kim. When Addy was born. You just had to look at her to know.." She smiled, tears slipping down her face. "Carlos just took her from the Midwife and yelled for Kim. She was waiting with Kes and Kylie. She was supposed to take them, but I think she knew Carlos was terrified." She gave Grace a little grin. "Kim just started CPR. Carlos is yelling _'get a bus get a bus_.' and the midwife is just starring. Kim lifts up from Addy's lips and says _call 911 we need an ambulance_. She's always been there for us. If she and Carlos say Doc's okay. Doc's okay."

Grace nodded slightly, looking out over the water.

"She's not in there." Holly repeated, standing up slowly and making her way back to the house. "I just wanted to tell you that."

* * *

"I couldn't have been there. I can't be there for anyone." Faith says out of no where. "I can't be that person anymore." 

"Yeah I got that message."

"That's why I wanted you at Major Case. A year as a Lieutenant and then you could be my Captain."

"Not interested in your guilt promotion Faith." He told her with a shrug.

"It's not guilt."

"Then what the hell is it?" His voice was tired. Defeated. She would have winced if she'd have noticed.

"I need you." He spun to look at her.

"For what?" If she knew the importance of the questions implications she ignored them.

"I need you to help me. I can't run the whole damn department-."

"You have a staff."

"I don't trust any of them!!" She screamed. He starred at her. "Don't you see? Can't you imagine how they look at me?"

"Imagine how they'd look at you if the guy who busted up your wedding was their new Lieu?"

"They'd listen to you." She dropped her tone to his quiet one. "Everyone listens to you. You took control back there. You got everyone focused. I need you."

"For what Faith?" He moved closer, his hands gripping her upper arms.She tried to look away but he moved with her. "Don't do that. Please.. Don't do-. Tell me.

"I'm falling apart. I need you." She pleaded back looking in to his blue eyes searching for anything. "I need you to be there."

"_55-David do you copy_?" Bosco never let her eyes slip from his as he grabbed the radio from his pants.

"You find her?" He asked Jimmy hopefully.

"_No."_ Doherty's voice was low, they could hear the scene behind him grow in intensity. "The media's here and I thougth that Faith might be better at this then me."

* * *

When they got back, Bosco had whispered to him that Faith wasn't really ready for this. He knew what that meant now.

"Chief Mitchell? Can you explain to the public how the daughter of two police officers managed to disappear in the presence of so many of New York's finest? How was no one watching little Evie?"

"Maybe you need to get your facts straight before you open your mouth Jack off! Her name is Eden and her mother is a paramedic and her father is a trauma resident you idiot. And you can't watch them all the time. People blink, you son of a-."

It was then that Jimmy put on a big false look of confidence and pushed Faith firmly towards Bosco's waiting arm, he tugged her away from the crowd.

"The Chief is needed at the moment." Doherty said solemnly . "We hope that this will be a message to parents on the importance of someone being aware of the location of children at-."

His voice trailed off as Bosco yanked her further into the woods.

"Faith you know what? When somebody's got a camera in your face? That's the time not to be a jerk." He couldn't help but grin at the irony of the familiar statement. She shook her head at him.

"He made it our fault. He didn't give a damn about Eden. He just wanted the NYPD to look bad."

"Well he got what he wanted." Bosco raised his eyebrows.

Faith growled in frustration before kicking at the nearest tree.

"You gotta hold it together." Bosco shook his head at her.

"I am so damn tired of holding it all together." She whispered painfully. He looked at her back, watching the way her shoulders trembled just a little before her head bobbed down. With two big steps he was behind her.

His warm hands clampped down on her shoulders. She flinched at first before relaxing as he leaned towards her ear.

"Just a little bit longer." He said calmly. "Lets find Eden. Then you can let it fall apart, and I promise you I'll be right there.

She turned her head to look at him and he kissed her cheek before pulling away.

"Come on. Kim and Grace are on the south side." He slung the emergency pack back over her shoulder grabbing at the walkie. "If we go west we'll tag up with them." She watched her partner hit the button. "55-David is 10-98"

"55Charlie copies 55David." Came Sully's soft voice. "You got us Central?"

"Find my little girl guys." Carlos whispered desperately.

"55-Boy-3 responding." Came Kim's teary voice. "We'll find her, Partner."


	10. Chapter 10

"It's now been four hours since little Eden Christian Nieto was last seen here in Upstate New York at the home of a family friend. Wedding guests turned rescuers, many of them police officers, have not given up hope of finding the two and a half year old alive. Despite that, divers have been called to search the lake behind the home of Retired NYPD Officer John Sullivan."

* * *

Bob Swertsky jumped out of his truck with a slow shake of his head as Ty Davis crossed the drive to meet him.

"Hey Boss."

"Damn it Davis if my comin' up early really meant that much to ya, you could have just said so." He shook his head again, pulling Davis into a hug before patting Sully on the back. "You got anything?"

"Nothing. She just vanished."

"News reports are saying she runs off a lot?"

"She's a track star Leu- Captain."

"Bob's just fine Ty." The man whispered quietly.

"Yeah.. I'm not sure I can do that." Davis laughed.

"He'll get used to it. Won't he Sul?" He looked back at his old officer.

"I don't know Bob, he's still a little green." He pulled the other man through the crowd and into the house. Maggie smiled at him warmly, patting his shoulder.

"You want coffee Bob?"

"That be great Maggie." He grinned before Sully pointed him back towards the map.

"55-David's the green, Charlie covered yellow, we just got back in. Edwards the blue. the FDNY's been down in the red."

"Bosco and Faith still out there?"

"Kids make Faith crazy." Sullivan whispered. "Bosco's been trying to work her in for an hour now. She's exhausted. Won't budge."

"Some thing's never change." Davis shook his head.

"Monroe and Finny head up towards town?"

"Yeah." Maggie handed the man a coffee cup before moving out of the way. "The local Sheriff's got all his people out there.

"All that's left is the lake." Davis said softly.

"She's not in there." The three men turned towards the living room where Holly Nieto stood in the door way, her hair hanging limply around her red face.

"Holly.. come sit down." Carlos called softly, tugging his wife's crossed arms.

"I know you think she is Ty but she's not in their." She whispered as Carlos let go, looking at his former roommate in anguish.

"You really think she's-?"

"Carlos.." He took a deep breath. "We're running out of places to look."

Nieto studied him for a second before looking half heartedly at the map.

"Then start over and look again."

* * *

He'd looked out over the lake at least a hundred times in the last four hours. 

Something wasn't right and Jimmy Doherty knew it.

Part of him wanted to strip off the reflective vest and dive in like he'd stopped Carlos from doing when the sky was still light. His eyes scanned the length of the lake shore. Pink Capri pants and a bright yellow spaghetti strap top, he told himself again for the ten thousandth time letting the spot light hit on every piece of anything it could reach.

He thought about Joey and Bobby back home and how he would have never stopped searching. How if it was his child he would have lost it by now. He'd have jumped into the water to search, idealistically thinking finding them beneath the glassy blue lake top would be better than not finding them at all. When the mission is search and rescue you forget that the divers are search and recovery. Recovery of a two year old body in bright pink and yellow.

He knew that Kim would take it hard. Harder than anyone but Holly and Carlos. They were 'her little ladies'. She'd held them each after their births, breathed for Adaila when her heart was too weak to do it herself. She'd doted on them like any self respecting aunt would do. She'd be crushed without Eden.

Jimmy figured she'd have enough to grieve soon enough. Eden didn't need to be added to the mix.

He ran the light back over the far side of the little cove he was standing in, freezing briefly as the heat of shock and fear ran through him. He backed up the light, falling squarely on a blur of pink and yellow, snagged in a branch.

He heard himself screaming for help, but he couldn't tell you what he said as he dropped the light and dove into the lake.

* * *

"Faith.. it's time to go in." Her partner grabbed her shoulders and turned her around. "We've been out here too long. We need to go back. Let people who are fresh take over." 

"It's been too long." She whispered, her lips shaking in the cool night. Bosco pulled off his jacket and wrapped it around her. "That's stupid. Now you'll be cold."

"You're welcome." He muttered his hand found it's way around her arm and he started pulling her up the hill. "Swertsky's up there now."

"Yeah?" Her eyes brightened for a second and he smiled at her. "He was coming up tomorrow, for the rehearsal dinner."

"Yeah." Bosco whispered, still pulling her along.

"Another ruined wedding." She snorted.

"I'm not taking responsibility for this one." He muttered back, grinning as she started to laugh. "The last one okay, but not this one."

"The last one was all you." Faith giggled.

"I SEE HER!!! I NEED SOME HELP OVER HERE!!" Jimmy's voice stopped everything. Bosco's hand dropped away from his partners elbow as he started to run towards Doherty's voice.

"Where!" Faith screamed holding up the maglite. "Bosco where is he!"

Bosco heard the splash, his legs pumping harder towards the shore when he did.

"The lake!" He yelled back to Faith. "She's in the God damn lake! Get Kim and Carlos out here now!"

She broke off towards the house, glancing back as her partner jumped in after Jimmy Doherty. Faith smashed the front door open, ripping Bosco's jacket off of her body. 

"Kim!" She yelled frantically. "Jimmy's got her in the lake!"

Carlos and Zambrano where out the door before Holly started screaming. Grace jumped up, pressing her shoulders back away from the door and onto the couch.

"Shhh.. Let them help her!" Grace pleaded. "They'll help her."

* * *

Ty was coaxing the ambulance down the hillside when Bosco appeared carrying the little wet bundle. 

"She's breathing!" He screamed, handing her over to Kim who was already jumping in the bus. "She's freezing cold but she's breathing."

Behind him Jimmy Doherty fought to catch up, sucking in air desperatly before coughing it out again. Carlos' gaze was momentarily ripped from his daughter. He glanced at the man as his hand came away from his face covered in blood.

"Okay Hero, you just got yourself a ticket on the bus." Nieto yelled yanking him inside with him. He looked back at Bosco. "Get Holly and follow us."

He nodded briskly before looking back at Davis.

"I'll get my car." Davis yelled running towards the SUV. Bosco took off for the house, meeting Holly and Grace on the porch.

"Tell me she's not dead." Holly demanded, Grace still holding her back from the scene as the ambulance peeled out.

"She's breathing." He muttered, looking over his shoulder. "Ty's going to take you."

The two paramedic's hurried past him as he pushed open the door and made his way inside.

"Christ Bosco you're soaking wet." Faith yelled grabbing his dr y jacket off of the floor and wrapping him in it.

"She's alive." He told her softly, his teeth beginning to chatter. Faith stroked her hands over his face and head in a futile attempt to warm him. "She was stuck in some brush. Her head was above water. She's alive."


	11. Chapter 11

"41 year old Firefighter with possible PWTC lung disease, complaining of difficultly breathing, and coughing up small amounts of blood." Carlos yelled, looking over his shoulder as Kim took off in the other direction with his daughter.

"Why's he soaking wet?" The nurse asked in annoyance.

"Cause he just pulled my four year old out of a lake." He answered blankly. "Blood pressures 140 over 90, resps 160, heart rate 205. Sats are 92. He needs to be bronched. I'm trauma surgeon "

"Let's calm down. Let's increase the oxygen and see.."

"He needs to be seen by your pulmonary specialist and bronched by ENT don't make me have him transferred to Mount Sinai. It would be really inconvenient. I know from experience that Doctor Galant gets really pissy when referring residents don't do their grunt work." Carlos yelled, dropping his hand on Jimmy's shoulder. "It's gonna be fine man."

"Call ENT. The doctor has spoken."

He looked down again at Jimmy, his hand unbudging. Doherty winked at him.

"Could someone please check on my daughter? A two year old with Hypothermia? Ask for Kim Zambrano please!"

* * *

"She hasn't regained consciousness?" 

"No but she's responding to pain." Kim yelled hopefully. "Are you going to rapid warm? Her father wouldn't want you to rapid warm." The nurse moved to the side, ignoring her completely. "He works at Mount Sini. They slow warm." No one looked at her. She watched them shine lights in Eden's face. "Her pupils are responsive. Mount Sini believes that a rapid warm increases the risk of neurological damages."

"A slow warm can cause organ damage." The resident told her bluntly.

"Which can be nonpermanent. And her lungs are clear. She swallowed water, but her lungs are clear."

"Doctor Hill?" The nurse looked at him expectantly. He looked at Kim.

"Please." She told him forcefully. "Don't rapid warm."

* * *

"Was she crying?" Holly whispered softly from the backseat. Ty turned and looked at her for a second. 

"No." He told her honestly. "I don't think she was awake."

"He's sure she was breathing?"

"Bosco said she was." Ty told her firmly.

She slowly turned her eyes towards Grace.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" The other woman shook her head

"I was wrong. She was in the lake."

* * *

"She was breathing?" Faith whispered the question leaning into turn on the shower before tugging at the blanket she'd wrapped around him. 

"Yeah. Slowly but yeah." He tugged at the blanket.

"Not yet." She told him, feeling the water with her hand.

"It's April. How the hell is it so damn cold?"

"Cause it's like forty degree's out there. The waters probably 30, if that." She felt the water again. "Kay take off your clothes."

He shrugged off the blanket and pulled his sweat shirt and tee over his head before messing with the button on his pants. She felt the water again.

"Faith?"

"Hurry up."

"Faith.."

"What? You want hypothermia too? Hurry up."

"I'm not saying that I mind but.." He raised his eyebrows at her and her face suddenly went blank.

"Sorry."

"Like I said.. I'm not saying I mind."

"I could.." She gestured to the door, and he smiled.

"Sit." He pointed to the toilet, stepping past her into the shower with his damp boxers still clinging to him. "Who's gonna save me from hypothermia if you're in the bedroom?" He fished the boxers off and tossed them onto the floor next to her. She starred at them for a second before looking up at him. He winked, closing the curtain all the way. "They still haven't called?"

"I'm sure Ty will once they know anything."

"Jimmy was in bad shape."

"Yeah?" She picked his wet clothes up off the floor and tossed them into her laundry bag.

"They think it's PWTC."

"Oh my God."

"I heard him and Carlos last night."

"Oh my God."

"I would have thought if one of us was going to have a nightmare..." He let his voice trail off, waiting for her. She was quiet for a long time.

"I thought you slept through that." She whispered, he leaned forward until he could see her in between the curtain and the wall.

"Could I ever?" He called back, watching her smile sweetly at the ground.

"It's not about the.." He leaned against the wall, letting the water smack down his chest willing her to say the word. "..shooting."

Bosco smiled.

"Then what?"

"I'm gonna get you some clothes."

"Faith."

"I think you're at low risk for sudden onset hypothermia now." She teased in avoidance. "I'll be right back."

He yanked the shower curtain back, grabbing a towel and following her into the bedroom.

"Is this how it's gotta be? You opening up in little flashes while I go nuts?"

"What you're suddenly Mr. Open?"

"What do you wanna know?"

"Bosco don't be ridiculous." She tossed some clothes at him. "Get dressed before you loose the warm."

"No. I'm Fucking Mr. Open. I'm standing here in a towel asking you to drop the damn act and talk to me!" He shouted. She stared at him, her eyes misting over. "Come on Faith."

"It's not an act." She choked, her eyes staying level with his.

"What?"

"I can't.." She looked down and swallowed. "I can't drop it. It's not an act." Her lips twitched into a sad smile. "I.. I'm not worth all the soul searching Bosco." She shook her head. "I'm not worth anything from you. Or anyone else for that matter."

"Faith!" His voice was almost harsh with disbelief. She never looked up.

"I'm gonna take a shower." She whispered backing away, slowly closing the door between them.

* * *

. 

"Thiabendazole" The Ent looked at Carlos who sat on the edge of Eden's bed with his hand on Holly's leg. The woman and chld didn't stir.

"Excuse me?" The other man chucked his finger at Jimmy sleeping in the bed next to them.

"Has your friend been exposed to Thiabendazole?" The man asked impatiently. Carlos rubbed his face, trying to focus.

"Un, there was a fire.." He squinted.

"Is it a pesticide?" Kim Zambrano's quiet voice whispered from behind the man. Carlos looked at his partner in the door way, holding tight to two Styrofoam cups of Coffee.

"It can be."

"Yes. Almost a month ago."

"He's got chemical burns. In his throat and upper lungs. He should have been checked after." He looked at Carlos. "You might want to tell your friends at Mount Si to do their jobs."

"Chemical burns?" Kim asked blankly.

"Yes. There is some scaring. It's causing the irritation. I'm going to recommend antibiotics and an inhaled topical." He nodded at Kim.

"He was coughing before that."

"He probably had a cold." The doctor told her with fake tolerance as he started for the door.

"It's not PWTC?" Carlos yelled after him. The man turned around and looked at him with irritation.

"Thiabendazole." He repeated firmly. "There is no debris irritation above what is consistent with every firefighter in the known universe." The man shook his head and started for the door. "He'll be fine."

Kim's wide eyes turned back to Carlos, a slow smile tugged at his lips.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N**

**Naked shower Bosco. Be warned.**

* * *

He stood perfectly still, blinking at the door between them before moving forward and turning the knob.

"Don't ever say that again." He held her eyes as she self consciously looked down at her half unbuttoned blouse.

"Do you mind?" She looked at him blankly.

"No. Do you?" His face never betrayed his seriousness, blinking easily.

"Bosco."

"It's the same damn shit Yokas." He shook his head. "_Don't worry about me... Worry about yourself... I'll be fine_. Faith the martyr and I'm so damn sick of it."

"You said it yourself. I'm not that person. I'm not the same person." She let go of her top, waving her hand dramatically. His gaze faltered, falling across her lacy bra and the small part of exposed breast. She didn't notice. "I'm the _man eater, _the black widow, the lioness, Mommy Dearest. Ball buster. Baby killer." She turned back to the shower. "I use people to get promotions. Kill people. Sleep my way to the top then yell harassment. That's what I do." He watched her shake.

"You're scared out of your mind." He realized softly.

"No." She said too quickly, turning to look at him. "That's where you're wrong. I don't feel. I don't feel anything." He looked at her tight fists, clenching the fabric of her shirt. "I don't feel anything anymore." His eyes lifted to her heaving chest, then slowly up to her wide eyes."Now get out."

* * *

Sasha stood frozen in the door when Bosco walked out of the bathroom running his hands through his hair. 

"Don't give up." He jumped when she spoke, his eyes rolling as his head tilted towards the ceiling. "Get back in there."

"And I should listen to you because I got such great results last time?" He moaned.

"Is she Mrs. Faith Miller?" She snapped. "Now get in there."

"Monroe she's hanging onto the edge of the cliff by this damn much-." He squinted at the space between his thumb and forefinger.

"Yeah so get in there and push her the rest of the way off." He looked at her with total confusion. "Then be there to catch her."

Bosco turned and looked at the door again.

"I just go in there and-?" He swung his body back towards her just in time to hear it shut. He starred at it for a second before moving back across the room and into the bathroom. He sat slowly on the edge of the sink, watching her shadow move in the curtain, listening to her soft grasp breaths as she fought to contain herself.

He had two options, move forward and risk loosing or staying stuck and resigning himself to the fact he'd already lost.

"Damn it." He muttered standing up and letting the towel drop away from his waist. He moved back the curtain and joined her in the shower.

* * *

Ty Davis set down the phone and looked at his bride. 

"They're gonna release her tomorrow. Kim and Jimmy are on their way back now. So Wedding plans go forward." He sighed shaking his head. "You tell everybody their okay?" She chewed on the edge of her finger. "Shasha?" She grimaced at him, her finger pressing harder against her teeth. "What did you do?"

"I may have just driven the finale nail in 55 David's coffin."

"What did you do?" He whined.

"I pushed." She whined.

"You pushed?"

"Yeah.. cause it worked so well the first time." She flopped down on the bed, groaning as she dropped back onto it. "I meddle. I'm a meddler."

"You fix." He laid next to her on the bed, lacing her hands with his. "You're a fixer."

"What if she's too far gone?"

"Bosco's been too far gone lots of times and she's always brought him back." Ty reminisced sweetly, kissing her fingers. "Maybe it's his turn."

"Maybe." She turned her head and looked at him. "Did they talk to the girls?"

"Yeah. Kylie's got it all under control. Addie and Kes were asleep. She's waiting up for Kim. I can't believe she's the same kid." He grinned a little. "She was talking about how I _saved_ her and Kim _saved_ Addie and how Jimmy _saved_ Eden." He shook his head. "I forgot how much they've been through with those kids. You'd never know."

"They're good parents." Sasha said softly. "You'll be a good parent."

"Just me?" He grinned at her, slipping his hand down to her abdomen drawing his thumb across it in short strokes.

"I'll be busy." She bit her finger again.

"We'll both be busy. We just have to make it a priority." He wiggled down on the bed until he was even with her abdomen. "You and me, we'll keep Mommy on her toes okay?" Sasha rubbed her hand across his head and giggled. He rolled onto his back. "I wanna tell Sully and my mom."

"I thought you wanted to wait until after the wedding?"

"To make a big deal out of it. But I wanna tell my parents." Ty raised an eyebrow at her.

"He loves it when you do that." She grinned.

"What?"

"Call him your parent." She rubbed her fingers over his scalp.

"He is. He always has been.." Davis admitted softly.

"You need to say that tomorrow." She cooed, he nodded.

* * *

"John come to bed." 

Sullivan turned the page of the album and looked at his wife.

"I will." His soft raspy voice barely reached his ears, she smiled crossing the floor and looping her arms around him and pressing her chest to his back. "Look at him."

"He looks so young."

"He was young." She trailed her fingers over her son's uniform and across the photo to her husband. "So were you."

"It seems like just yesterday." He grinned. "You made me take him in."

"You make it sound like I left an infant on your doorstep." She swatted her hand against his chest.

"You did the NYPD equivalent!" He laughed, wrapping her arms in his. "Did I ever thank you for that?"

She smiled at his teary voice, leaning in and kissing his neck softly.

"You're welcome."

* * *

She backed up against the wall of the shower, her huge eyes taking him in. 

"Get out." She said stubbornly, making a half hearted attempt to cover the chest he wasn't even looking at. He studied her expression, searching for what she really wanted.

"No." He reached out slowly, cupping her face and stepping closer. She shivered at his touch as he drew his fingers across her face. "We're gonna talk."

"In the shower?" The impudence she attempted washed away. He smiled at her nervousness, nodding slowly. "You're crazy." He nodded again.

"I'm gonna kiss you."

"What?" She squeaked. He smiled at her again leaning forward and brushing his lips across hers. "What the hell are you-?"

He pulled his head back and gave her a weary look before giving her a more demanding kiss. She leaned into him nearly unconsciously. _Nearly._

"What are you..?" Her voice murmured until it disappeared into another kiss. He moved his lips to her jaw and down her neck.

"Helping you feel." He told her softly, lifting his eyes to hers. Her chest heaved as she watched him, winding her arms up his body as he lifted her out of the shower and into the bedroom.

"Boz.." She whispered, she inhaled slowly as he dropped them to the mattress. He could hear the teary protest in her voice, pulling back and pressing his forehead to hers. He brought his finger between them. Pressing it against her lips.

"Faith I love you." He brushed his nose against hers, pulling back to look in her eyes. He smiled at her tears, brushing them away slowly. "I love you." He brought his lips to her cheeks, kissing below each eye. "I love you."

She choked out a sob, her fingers grasping at his neck as he laid her out on the comforter, running his hands the length of her body as his lips dipped lower.

His own palms glided up the sides of her arms, until her grip fell open and he could lock her hands with his, stretching them slowly over her body as he brushed his lips across her skin, stopping to plant hot kisses against her. She arched into him as he moved lower, her sobs coming more frequently.

He drew his hands away, planting them firmly against her thighs as he tasted her, moving slowly and purposefully until she was crying out, her fingers ripping against the linen of the bed. He moved to his knee's as she shuddered, looking into her lazily lidded eyes.

"Faith?" The word was barely there, but her arms came up and reached for him anyway, guiding him forward and close to her body until she was writhing again. His cry was soft and fragile compared to the earthy yell that broke her.

He lowered himself to his elbows above her as she sobbed, his thumbs gently stroking the tears away from her temples. She ran her hands across his back, one cupping the nape of his neck and the other pushing into his hair and holding his face to hers.

"Shh.. I'm here. I'm here. It's okay." He soothed, pressing into her desperate grip. "I won't let go. I promise. I'm here." He leaned to his side, rolling her with him before clutching her to his chest as she sobbed. He laced his fingers through her messy blond locks rubbing his other hand up and down her back. "I've got you. I've got you."


	13. Chapter 13

If it weren't for the annoying tapping sound she'd be perfectly content. The source of her warmth moved behind her. The tapping continued.

"We should get that." The warmth whispered in her ear, laying his face against the curve of her neck.

"I don't wanna.." She mumbled, closing her eyes tight. "Comfortable."

She felt the slow stretch of his mouth against her shoulder.

"You've come a long way baby." He teased, wrapping his arms further around her waist.

He remembered the time she'd woken up like this when he was recovering, only to scramble off the bed in near panic. He'd blinked at her, as she pressed her palm against his chest, avoiding his eyes completely. He'd thought she was embarrassed, he was embarrassed too.

Until he realized she slipped into bed with him when he woke up from his nightmares the next night with out a second thought. She wasn't embarrassed holding him close to her, and reassuring him it was over. It wasn't embarrassment.

"I still like this better." She informed him turning to face his chest, remembering the cold fearfulness that settled upon her when she'd woken up that morning.

The pressure of him against her back and the dead weight of his arm tossed across her side had sent her right back there. She hadn't told him. Half of the reason was Faith the martyr and the other half was St. Faith. She couldn't dump _her_ stuff on him, and she really rather he not know she had _stuff _to begin with.

It was the second night, when she'd woken up in a near panic, flipping over and starring at him with wide frightened eyes, that he'd realized what was going on. Her hand slipped to his face, tracing his cheeks as the tears came in short bursts while she fought for control.

_"What?"_ He'd whispered, as the confusion fell away. He didn't remember, but Ty did and he'd grilled him. He'd heard about his blood on her face and how she'd panicked. He'd heard about her holding his gun. He'd heard about how his body had fought to protect her even while he was dying. It all came together in one swift second_. "It's okay."_ He'd shushed instantly, rising off the mattress to meet her."_Faith, it's okay."_

It was in that moment he knew, doubtlessly that he was in love with her. He'd always suspected as much. He knew he loved her and he knew he was attracted to her. But in that moment he realized he was completely in love with her.

"You know what I like better?"

"That the tapping stopped?" She mused.

"That I can do this." He brought his lips to hers and kissed her softly.

"I woulda let you do that then."

"Thanks for the heads up Partner." He shook his head before kissing her forehead.

The tapping started up again with more purpose. He leaned in and kissed her mouth.

"Boz.." She warned halfheartedly as his hands slipped up her skin.

"Ignore it." He ordered lowering his kisses.

"Kay.."

The tapping stopped and Faith thanked God.

"_Bosco_?" The sound of Carlos' voice through the door pulled him from his mission, he rested his head against the crook of her neck. _"Bosco are you awake?"_

"You think if I tell him we're finally having sex he'll leave us alone?" He whispered into her throat.

"Probably." She agreed, lifting his head to face her stern gaze. "But then we probably won't be having sex again."

"Gotcha." He muttered kissing her lips before scrambling to his feet.

"Just a minute Nieto." He called as Faith pulled a pair of sweats from his duffle bag and chucked them at him before scrambling towards the bathroom. He watched her close the door as he pulled them on before turning the handle and looking at Carlos. "Sorry. I was out." He gestured to the bed. Carlos nodded, looking around the room. "Faith just got out of the shower." He informed him awkwardly.

"Yeah.. I just wanted to thank you." He nodded. "For saving Eden."

"Doherty did that."

"Jimmy couldn't have gotten across that lake." He shook his head. "Seconds counted and you were there."

"He's good at being the muscle." Faith whispered, pushing through the door in a pair of pink pajama's. Bosco smirked at her. "Eden's okay?"

"Yeah.. they discharged her only because we promised to be on top of her." He shook his head. "She's fine. She's Eden, running around like a fool."

Faith grinned.

"Holly wants to put her on a leash." Carlos lowered his head. "Anyway.. thanks."

Bosco nodded towards the floor as Carlos moved down the hall. He looked back at his partner, pulling locks of her extremely dry hair up from her shoulders with a smirk.

"What?"

"Nothin'"

* * *

"Well?" Sasha looked up from the table hopefully. Ty grinned at her while Kim looked on expectantly. 

"You were right." He told Holly who beamed out the first smile he'd seen since Eden's disappearance.

"No way." Finney shook his head. "She fell for the heroics?"

"They always do." Jimmy smirked, Kim smacked his arm. "Ouch.. wounded hero here.."

"Stuff it." His wife growled.

Jimmy looked at Brendan. "It wears off."

"So.. what did you see?" Sasha asked anxiously.

"Nothing!" Carlos made a face. "Bosco said they just woke up. Only one bed was slept in. He said Faith was in the shower, she came out perfectly dry. They did it."

"That doesn't mean they did it." Ty laughed.

"They did it." Carlos shook his head.

"We don't know that." Sasha bit her finger.

"It took like twenty minutes for them to open the door." Carlos added.

"Better." Jimmy nodded.

"One bed." Sasha mumbled.

"So." Sully added bounding into the room. "You try sleeping on that crap ass matress these two made me put in there."

"They missed breakfast." Holly grinned.

"And lunch if they don't hurry." Called Maggie. "John help me out here."

Sullivan grabbed the platter of sandwiches from his wife.

"They had sex." Nieto said firmly.

"Says you." Jimmy laughed.

"The room smelled like sex okay? They had sex!" Carlos groaned out loudly.

"Good morning to you too." Bosco said smugly from the doorway, his arms crossed. Beside him Faith tried to force the red from her cheeks. No one moved.

"Who had sex?" Faith asked lamely looking at the room.

"The bride and groom." Holly told them gracefully. "We told them it was bad luck. The day of your rehearsal dinner and all."

Faith smiled politely at her lie.

"What about you Chief? You have sex the day of your rehearsal dinner?" Finney asked boldly. Grace kicked his foot from the coffee table. Bosco glowered at him. "Kidding kidding."

"Ha." Faith choked out as they all started towards the table that Maggie was laying out. Sasha watched Bosco guide Faith, his hand splayed out across her back. "Down boy." She muttered softly. Sasha smiled as Bosco slowly exhaled.

"Hey." Bosco pointed at Doherty. "You okay?"

"I'm good. It wasn't..that." Jimmy nodded, his lips pressed together.

Bosco clapped his hand on the other man's back. The fireman smirked at him before punching his retreating arm.

"Still not friends." He muttered under his breath. Jimmy nodded cheekily with sincere agreement.

"So." Sully looked around the table with a stunningly serious expression as Faith kissed Swertsky hello as she settled in next to Bosco. "We found Carlos' kid, Jimmy's not dying and Faith and Bosco finally had sex." Every eye in the room snapped to his face. He forced himself not to grin at the fish like expressions staring back at him. "Can we get on with the wedding stuff now or does anyone have anything else?"

Sasha's hand had flown to her mouth. Ty let out an amused chuckle while Finney just outright laughed until Grace slapped his arm. Kim looked at her husband who blinked back at her with a look of humored disbelief. Faith's head crashed into Bosco's shoulder in embarrassment as a slow grin slipped over his features.

"I'd say that covers it." Nieto croaked from the other side of the table. The group nodded. Sully exchanged glances with his former Lieu and everyone went back to their plates.

Except Sasha. She looked at Davis.

"Not quiet." Ty whispered quietly, lifting an eyebrow to his girlfriend. She nodded.

"What now?" His voice was gruff. Ty grinned.

"Well you and Mom have been bitching at us about filling up all the damn bedrooms. So we got started."

Maggie let out a shriek and ran around to Sasha. Sully froze, the bite of potato salad he'd taken stilling in his mouth.

"What?"

"They're having a baby, Stupid!" His wife yelled, hugging her soon to be daughter in law.

"You're having-?" He gulped down the potato with a slight cough, looking at the man in front of him. Ty nodded. Sully moved the napkin off his lap and stood slowly. Sasha moved to hug him. He pressed his cheek against her face as he wrapped his big arms around her small frame. His eyes never left Ty's.

"What do you think Grandpa?" She whispered. He looked at her for a second before handing her off to the next person hugging her.

"Grandpa?" Davis nodded at him again before Sully reached out and pulled the man to his chest, clapping his hand on his back before holding him by the shoulders and shaking his head slowly.

"You happy?" Ty asked nervously. Sully made a scoffing noise before nodding at him.

"It'll get your mom off my back for a while." He choked out.

Davis watched his eyes mist over just enough before he hugged him again.

"I'm gonna do this right.." He told the other man. "Make you proud."

"I am proud of you." Sully said suddenly. "I'm very proud of you."

Ty's eyes shut tightly.

"Thanks Dad."


	14. Chapter 14

He rolled slowly onto his back stretching his arm lazily above his head and bracing his still shut eyes against the glimmer of light. Beside him Faith groaned, burrowing her head deeper into the crook of his arm.

"Oh my God what did you let me do?" He moaned pulling his hand down over his face.

"Me!" She whimpered, feeling him flinch with pain before lowering her voice. "I can't feel my tongue."

"I can't remember anything past Sully's toast and Maggie's slide show." He rubbed his face again before pulling his hand back and starring at it curiously.

"There was a slide show?" Faith asked brightly, her eye brow raising above her closed lid. He didn't answer, just remained frozen, his bloodshot gaze fixed straight ahead. "Boz?" She cracked her eye open wincing at the light.

"Faith?" His voice choked out of him, she watched his Adam's apple bob.

"Are you gonna throw up? Cause if you're-" He cut her off abruptly, flipping over and pulling her left hand out from underneath her. She screwed her face up in complaint before he tapped his fingernail against her finger with a soft clink. She blinked at it. "Boz?"

"Yeah?" He breathed pulling her hand to his chest and starring at the ceiling.

"I have a wedding ring on."

"Yes you do." He said softly as she yanked their joined hands up with a roll of her eyes.

"You also appear to have a wedding ring on Bosco!" She told him with increasing alarm.

"Yes. I do." He winced as their hands clapped back down to his chest. She dropped her head to his shoulder.

"How did-?"

"I have no idea."

* * *

_"Okay okay simmer down people." Sully muttered, swinging his glass of faux champagne towards the crowd. "Tomorrow the Who's Who of New York City will be descending on our happy home to oversee the nuptials of two up and comer's." He winced, making quote marks with his fingers. "So we just wanted to make sure that we took tonight to celebrate Sasha and Ty." He looked lovingly at his surrogate child before inhaling deeply. "And I have been told the way to do that.." He nodded his head, watching Brendan Finney pull down the projector. ".. is with embarrassing childhood photographs."_

_The screen filled with Baby Ty in Maggie's arms and the crowd cooed, breaking into fits of laughter as the photo faded into one of a younger John Sullivan with a seventies mustache with Ty on his shoulders beside Davis Sr. in a full blown Afro. _

_Davis watched as his Sr. Faded from the photos, replaced almost seamlessly by John Sullivan. There was Sullivan chasing his teetering bicycle down the sidewalk. Sully in a suite and tie beside him in his eagle scout uniform. He was in the background of a policemen's ball dancing with one of his little sisters, her small feet planted against his own._

_He watched, swallowing hard as John Sullivan slipped from the photo's as Ty entered the academy, by the time they switched to Baby Sasha, Davis had already turned back to face his parents. He watched his mother grin, her own eyes glistening as she watched her husband bat away tears. It was one of those moments that Ty realized that Sully's mind did stretch back before 55 Charlie. It had been important to him too.

* * *

_

"SULLIVAN!" Bosco bellowed, pulling on his shirt as he made his way into the hall. Carlos Nieto looked up at him painfully, shushing him loudly before clapping his own hand around his head. "Where the hell is Sullivan?"

Carlos pointed, waving his hand dismissively as the wiry detective plowed past him into the kitchen.

"Oooo..Tell me." Bosco started, watching Sully's face settle into that bemused look of fragile tolerance that Bosco knew so well. "Tell me you're fat ass fell off the wagon last night! Cause I know you would not let me and Faith run off and-." He stopped, wincing at his wedding ring. "Crap!"

"Hey don't look at me! I tried to stop you, but before I knew it you two had it all figured out-."

"You were the only sober person with in five miles of-." That's when he noticed Sully had started to laugh. Bosco stopped, narrowing his eyes for a second at the faded memory.

"Not the only sober person." Sully snickered in a sing song voice. He watched the other man's head start to shake slowly back and forth.

"That little-!"

* * *

_"It's a bout damn time you know." Faith said softly, her body pitched just slightly towards Bosco's as she spoke to Ty and Sasha. _

_"You too." Ty winked, watching her head dip towards the table. "I always thought you two'd be first. I always thought it would be 55 David long before us." He looked lazily back at his bride. _

_"Me too." Bosco muttered absently, lifting his lips to his fifth drink of the night._ Faith watched the same lips twitch into a soft smirk as he continued to look out across the room.

"'S' not to late." Ty informed them, looking at his watch. "You have twenty hours."

_"Shut up Davis." Bosco snorted, his smile widening. _

_"Come on you guys, seriously..." Sasha moaned looking between them. _

_"It's way past time." Carlos mumbled under his breath._

_"Who asked you?" Bosco snipped. _

_"I'm just saying.."_

_"We'll don't." Boscorelli told him. _

_"Come on. This is about Sy and Tasha." Faith said in all seriousness. "It's their day."_

_Sasha giggled a little, watching Ty wink as he leaned across the table. _

_"I know Tasha here has been trying to get 55 David hitched up for a long time."_

_"Sides.. You need things." Bosco said pointedly. "Official marrigagiy things."_

_"A marriage diploma." Faith nodded._

_"Right!" He wagged his finger at her. "She's very smart."_

_"Well you better have Sy here start humming 'pomp and circumstance; cause I'm getting the two of you a diploma." Sasha muttered, pulling herself to her feet and starting towards the table where her boss was sitting.

* * *

_

"Oh my God." Faith turned the document around in her hands and looked at it again. "Jesus it looks really official."

"It _is_ official." Bosco breathed. "It's signed by Bloomberg and notarized by the notary republic of the city of New York."

Sasha picked at the crust of Ty's toast before he pushed the plate towards her. Kim moaned again as Jimmy poured her another glass of water.

"You're dehydrated."

"Cause she was wasted!" Faith accused. "You can tell here by the way her signature drifts off the line marked witness on my _wedding certificate!"_

"Again with the yelling.." Carlos' voice echoed up softly from somewhere beneath his folded arms.

"Flowers for the bride and groom." Brendan Finney announced carrying a lovely bunch of daisies into the kitchen. Sasha raised a curious eyebrow. He grinned at her dropping them in front of Faith on the table. "Uhh.. the other bride and groom." Bosco growled at him.

"Who the-." She fumbled with the card before chucking it at a curious Bosco.

"_Mom and Uncle B- or should we just call you Daddy now?- we just wanted to congratulate you on a job well done. Can't wait to see you. Love Chuck and Emmy.."_

"You called my-?" Faith began sharply before her new husband slowly raised his arm with a slow shake of his head.

"I think that was me." He breathed slowly, fighting to remember.

* * *

_Jimmy Doherty watched in amusement as Kim tugged at the lacey ribbon from around the center piece as Holly Nieto plugged little pieces of baby's breath into the wavy hair of the Deputy Chief of Police. _

_"Phone." A gruff voice behind him demanded. He turned to quickly, waiting for the blur to come into focus. _

_"BOSCO!" He hollered loudly, clapping the man on the back. _

_"Phone. I. Need. Your. Phone." He said seriously, his palm stretching out to him. _

_"Sure. Sure. Sure." He fished it out of his pocket and dropped in into the other man's hand. "But we ain't friends."_

_"Never." Bosco reiterated, stumbling away. "Shit.."_

_"What?"_

_"I need a best man though." He pointed at Doherty. "You can do that right?"_

_"Sure. Sure.."_

_"We still ain't-. Awh Fuck it you got my drift, right?" He looked back at the firefighter who touched his finger to his nose before pointing at Bosco with a wink. The cop's eyes darted towards the phone. "Emmy? Emmy baby it's your Uncle B. No no no! Your Mom's fine. She's fine. I'm fine. In fact we're more then fine. We're gonna get hitched Em. No no tonight. Now. I'm serious. Yeah. we've both been drinking. But. I love her Em. I need you to know that. I love her and I'm gonna be really good to her. I need you and Chuck to know that.. Okay? Yeah. Yeah. Put him on. Chuck? Yeah I'm serious. I know. I know."

* * *

_

"We weren't ready for this." Faith said softly. "It's too soon. We just got our acts together what? Forty hours ago and now.. we're married?"

Sasha sighed again. Bosco scrubbed his hand down his cheek and watched her stare at the certificate.

"I can't believe you let us do this. You knew how drunk we were Monroe and you-."

"You know what Yokas? Get it annulled then. I'm sick of your whining. I'm getting married in ten hours and it may not have taken me nearly twenty years, but it's been a long time comming and I intend to be ready so-." She swung her legs over the edge of the counter and wandered out of the kitchen. Ty's eyes rose and fell before giving them a small smile and starting after her. Bosco made his way silently back to the bedroom. Faith starred at the daisies for a moment, touching the card again before slipping after him.

He was sitting on the edge of the bed, moving the ring up and down in small movements over his finger.

"You can take it off." She said softly. "It would be okay."

"No, it wouldn't." She could barly hear him.

"I'd understand Bosco." She whispered, sitting beside him on the bed. "She's right. We'll get it annuled."

"I don't even remember where the hell they came from." Bosco whispered softly, drawing his thumb back again. "Do you?"

"Boz.. It's going to be alright. We'll-."

"I can't take it off, Faith." He told her softly. For one bizzare second she thought he meant it was stuck. Her mind soaped up his finger and pryed it loose, then she saw the way he gently moved it around, brushing it with his thumb. She covered his hand with hers, watching as his fingertips traced over the edges of her ring. "I promised you, and I meant it."

His voice from last night, raspy and suddenly sober, sounded through her head. He'd promised, promised that he'd never take it off. Never take for granted what it meant. Never take for granted who she was..

"I meant it." She watched him swallow hard, leaning in until her temple pressed against the hollow of his throat.

"Maggie's parent's gave them to us." She reminded him softly. "They've been married for sixty seven years. She said it was meant to be. We were a-."

"Perfect fit.." He finished hazily, feeling the stretch of his lips against his hot skin. "I love you. Faith.."

"I know you do."

"And you love me."

"I know."

"I can't take it off, Faith."

"Don't."


	15. Chapter 15

"But that's my call shift." Carlos groaned, pointing to the large calendar laid across Kim and Jimmy's bed.

"Kes and Addy have dance. I can't do anything about-."

"I could be there by four fifteen. Would that give you enough time?" Kim picked up the blue highlighter and raised an eyebrow at Holly. She bit her lip for a second before nodding. "Holly?"

The woman dropped her eyes away starring at the hightlighted pink squares.

"It's just an awful lot of days." She told them warily.

"You said you'd help." Carlos told her bluntly, starring at his wife.

"Carlos-." Kim interjected softly.

"And I will. It's a just a lot of-." Holly shook her head. "I hardly know him."

"We can get a nurse." Kim assured her.

"We're not getting a damn nurse!" Nieto yelled. "Doc doesn't want a damn nurse.

"I won't just have him. I'll have the girls too.." She pleaded.

"Holly you said you'd-." Carlos started again.

"I'll help." The voice from the door stopped the little group cold. John Sullivan walked slowly into the room picking up the box of highlighters and nodding at the map. He pulled out a green and started shading in pink days. "He can come up here. Go fishin'. Or I could come in to the city."

The other man looked at him uneasily.

"Let me help." He said solomly.

Nieto looked down at the map with a hard swallow before nodding.

* * *

"Well?" Brendan watched his wife walk out of the bathroom. 

"No." Grace said emotionlessly moving past him and gathering up her jewlrey.

"I'm sorry." He pressed his lips together, his eyes still following her.

"Yeah." She let out a slow breath. "Me too."

"Next month." He decided, looping his arms around her waist.

"Sure." She muttered, slipping her earings into her ears.

"Trying to make the baby is the fun part anyway right?" She turned her head and looked at her husband for a second, taking in his sensitive eyes and sly grin.

"Sure." She repeated flatly, looking down at his arms. "You should get ready."

"Grace it's-."

"Fine." She finished. "Wedding's in an hour. Get dressed."

* * *

He watched her stretch her body out again, fumbling with the zipper of the dress. 

"Turn around." He said softly, pushing himself off the bed and making his way towards her. She turned, tilting her head from side to side.He pulled up the zipper, kissing the exposed skin at the base of her shoulder. "Back hurt?"

"A little." She sighed, feeling his thumbs dip into the sore divits.

"Someone hasn't been following doctors orders." He accused lightly as she pressed back against him with a groan.

"You telling me your still doing your PT exercises?" She leaned her head back against his shoulder.

"You really have to ask me that?" He whispered dropping his lips to her neck again. "After what we just did?"

"Humm.." She pretended to consider it, moving her hands around to cup the back of his thighs and hold him to her. "You did seem rather limber."

"My hip flexors have never been better." She snorted out a laugh turning her face towards his, he nudged it back distractedly. His lips moved up the edge of her throat, she tightened her grip. "How long?"

"We have a whole hour."

* * *

"An hour." Ty Davis looked out the window at the people rushing to finish setting up the chairs. Sully looked up from his hands as Maggie grinned knowingly at her son. 

"You want me to open the window?" Sullivan teased, his voice serious. "It's only a few feet down, you could probably make it without breaking your neck"

Davis snorted.

"I'll pass, but thanks."

"It's not Sasha." Maggie said softly, turning her attention to her son's undone tie.

"Of course it's not." Her husband scoffed.

"It's the people." She decided. "All those high society people out there. You should have eloped."

"It's not the people." Ty whispered wincing as his mother yanked on his bowtie. "It's.. we both wanted a big wedding.."

"Then what?"

"Maggie leave the boy alone." Sully sighed, putting either hand on her shoulders. "Go see about your new daughter in law."

"One more hour." Maggie whispered almost dreamily. Sullivan kissed her forhead, following her with his eyes as she left the room.

He smiled a little before turning towards Ty with a sigh.

"Big step." He told him easily. "Marriage. Fatherhood."

"Yeah." Ty ran his hand over his head.

"One of those times a man needs his father around, I'd think."

"My father's right here." Ty told him quickly. His head bobbing down to the floor. He ran his hand over his bow tie again, John Sullivan shook his head slowly turning the younger man towards him.

Ty's eyes lifted, watching his mentor stare at the tie before bringing his own hands to it.

"He was a good man." Sully decided as a matter of fact before. Ty snorted."He made mistakes, but he was a good man."

"He was a bad husband."

"You're mother doesn't think so."

"My mother.." He shook her head.

"You're mother has forgiven him." He nodded his head. "Maybe you should too."

"He was a bad father."

"Looking back.. you feel that way." Sully pressed his lips together, examining the tie he'd fixed. "At the time-."

"At the time I didn't know who he was."

"He was your father. He was my partner." The older man said frankly. "He was my friend." Ty's face dropped towards the ground. "And you're not him." Davis' eyes lifted to his. "You won't make those mistakes. You'll make your own." He patted the boy's shoulders. "Let's get you married."


	16. Chapter 16

"Wow." Faith looked slowly around the dock before feeling Bosco's nudge.

"Wow? More like Holy Crap." He muttered guiding her to the long white row of chairs.

"This is.. extravagant."

"This is.. ridiculous. All that's missing is a flipping string quar-." As if on cue, the violins started the Ave Maria.

He rolled his eyes, she smiled softly, leaning into his shoulder. His hand slipped up her back, pulling softly at strands of hair.

"I'm sure it's much nicer than whatever was playing when we got married!" She snickered, watching the line of bridesmaids start down the isle.

"_At last_." Bosco muttered softly. His wife turned toward the far off look in his eye. "Someone sang-"

"Ty's sister." Faith whispered suddenly. His gaze turned to her, she smiled sweetly. "I think it was Ty's sister."

"Which one?" He nodded his head toward the row of bridesmaids lined up along the back of the tent..

"The tall one?" Faith guessed wrapping her arms around one of his.

"She has a nice voice." He mussed his eyebrows raising slightly, before furrowing. "I think."

She tried to suppress a grin as he smirked like a little boy.

* * *

"Not to shabby." Brendan's eyes swept over the crowd. 

"Perfect." Grace added cheekily before looking back down at her hands.

"Look at Eden." Finney mussed watching the little girls make there way down the isle. "She's so sweet."

"Sweet." Grace echoed, never looking up.

"You'd never know what she went through like what? Two days ago? She looks amazing."

"Hmm." Grace muttered, sweeping her hand through her hair and pulling it from where it lay against her shoulders. Finney turned and looked at his wife, she looked the other way.

"What's your problem?" He asked softly, trying to hide the irritation in his tone.

"Nothing."

"Grace."

"Nothing."

"We'll try again next month."

"I said nothing's wrong!" She snapped, watching in irritation as several rows of eyes turned to look at her.

Finney looked down in embarrassment as she plastered on an intolerant smile for the crowd.

* * *

"She's ballsy as ever." Faith muttered pulling her eyes away from the scene the Finney's were making. 

"Match made in freaking heaven." Bosco murmured. "Look at Carlos. Who'd have thought, him and those kids.."

"Yeah." Faith's voice was suddenly distant. He turned and studied her profile before leaning over and kissing her shoulder. Her face moved ever so slightly toward him, a hesitant grin pulling at her lips. Bosco lifted his head to hers, kissing just below her temple.

* * *

Sully straightened himself out and looked at his son before his eyes darted to his wife. She moved the handkerchief away from her face studying it for a dry spot. She sighed dramatically at herself when she didn't find one. A slow smile spread across his lips as he fished his own out of his pocket and handed it to her. She looked at him, giving him an embarrassed smile as he linked his fingers with hers. 

His eyes lifted back to Ty.

_"Awh Damn it." He looked past Stick at the young man standing in his crisp new uniform. "When'd he get out?"_

The edges of Sully's lips twitched as he took in the man standing at the alter.

_"You know Officer Sullivan._

_"Nearly all my life Sir."_

It was the 'all his life' part that John Sullivan was reflecting on now.

* * *

Sasha cast a quick glance back at the wedding coordinator one last time before brushing through the white curtain of the tent and onto the dock.

Ty drew in a deep breath when he saw her in the cream gown.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N**

Gosh sorry it's been so long! I moved, had my fourth child and quit my job. So.. it's been kinda crazy! I'll hopefully feel more like writing now! Thanks for sticking in there for me..

Lori

* * *

"I can't believe we finally got married." Sasha's lips slipped into a small smile. Ty shook his head in disbelief, moving his wife across the dance floor. "Finally."

"Hey, I didn't take us as long as them!" Ty chucked his head towards his parents. His lips twitched at the sight of his mother tucked neatly in Sully's big arms. "Or them." He looked at the way Maurice Boscorelli's eyes fixated on his new wife as she spoke to Swertsky. The stocky man's eyes soften around the edges as she spoke, his chin bobbing up and down in reverent agreement with what ever she was saying.

"We didn't have there complications." Sasha told him, pointedly raising one eye brow.

"No we just couldn't fit it into our schedules." He grunted back. "Which excuse is less excusable?"

"Depends." He manicured eyebrow arched into a perfect triangular point and he found himself grinning again. "For us or for them?"

"I think we've spent enough time on them." Ty told her, his voice rising slightly as he suddenly dipped her in time to the music. "Let's just focus on us."

"Humm.." She purred, letting her hand travel from his shoulder to his neck, her slim fingers barely reaching the nape. Nodding her head slowly, her eyes wide. "We should."

"We should." He nodded back at her, twirling her forward and into the music. She giggled as they brushed past Sully and Maggie.

"Let's dance." Grace Finney let her tumbler clunk to the table with an unnecessary lack of finesse. Kim's eyebrow arched up, disappearing into her bangs.

"How many of those have you had?" Jimmy asked bluntly, as she waved down another from a nearby server and drank the top half of Jack Daniels off the ice it rested on.

"Several, Let's dance!" She suggested again, flapping her hands towards the dance floor.

"Gracie.." Holly wasn't sure she'd ever heard Brendan Finney's voice so soft and tolerant. "You should probably stop now."

"Why?" She said aloofly rising to her feet and reaching for Kim's wrist. "What's the point? I could drink till I puked my guts out. Not like it would hurt anything." She flipped her half lidded eyes to Kim. "You gonna dance or not?"

"I.." Zambrano looked at her husband sheepishly.

"She has to keep me company." Jimmy said quickly, screwing his face into a serious look and patting his chest. "I'm not up to it."

"Cooommme oooonnn." The little blond moaned, tugging again at Kim's wrist.

"I'll go." Holly told her softly, jumping to her feet. "I'll Dance." Grace's face brightened for a second before releasing her grip on Kim and pulling Holly towards the crowd. "It releases bad Karma."

Kim flipped her eyes up to Finney, he gave her a curt smile.

"We've.. She's not.." He shook his head again. "She really wanted to be pregnant." He looked out after her. "She's not."Kim's eyes fell to the table for a second. "I thought you were going to ask-."

"I-." She murmured awkwardly.

"You werent' going to ask were you?"

"Sorry." Kim said swiftly looking away from him somewhat akwardly.

"It's just.. she's not usually so.."

"Obnoxious?" Nieto provided leaning over the table and grabbing an olive from Kim's plate.

"Drunk." Brendan sighed.

"That too." Carlos mumbled from behind his olive, Kim rolled her eyes.

"Ladies and Gentlemen this will be the very last song of the night." The bandmaster's voice rumbled softly over the quiet crowd.

"Nooo.." Grace leaned forward. "Encore.." She clapped her hands wildly until Brendan's came up to capture them in his. "Let me go.. Encore!"

"Gracie stop.."

"Say goodnight Gracie.." Faith muttered under her breath. Bosco tried to suppress a laugh. Carlos didn't even try.

"Who asked you Chief?" The woman twisted in her husband's grasp. "You think you know everything?"

"I think I know you've had enough to drink." Faith ventured, eyeing the woman up and down.

"I'm having fun!" Her thick with liquor voice flung forward with the top of her body. "Fun."

"Yeah you look like you're havin' a blast."

"And you wonder why the call you the Wicked Bitch of Major Case?" Grace slurred as Brendan fought to keep her upright.

"Hey.." Bosco's tone was flat as his eyes slid towards the woman. "Finney maybe you should just take your wife on up to bed now."

"Why not? Every one's already taken yours there." Grace spat. The group froze, watching Bosco's mouth twist into it's characteristic swirl.

"What the hell's your problem?" Faith almost yelled, edging her husband back with her shoulder.

"You. You You are my problem. Chief Perfect Life."

"Where the hell you been Sweetheart?" Faith sneered.

"Here. Right here.. Little Miss Perfect.. " She shook her head.

"Grace, maybe you should.." Sasha started softly.

"Shut up!" She pointed her finger at the bride. "You're sweet little dress and.. Pregnant glow. It was real easy for you wasn't it? Probably didn't even have to try right? Just 'Oops! Sweet'um's I'm pregnant!' It's probably Fucking twins now." She shook her head. "You're probably pregnant already Lil' Miss Perfect." She spit at Faith. "Hell maybe you'll even keep this one huh?"

"Who the hell-?" Bosco muttered.

"You know! You spend your whole damn life trying not to get pregnant and when you finally want to, you find out you never would have in the first place!" She shook her teary head. "And then it's shots and pills and procedures.. four years for one freaking baby and then you have to start all over again!" Brendan wrapped his arms tighter around her, bringing his head to shoulder blades making a soft shushing noise. "And meanwhile Bitches like you are just throwing them away.. "

Faith swallowed hard, her eyes transfixed on the thin woman.

"It's not fair. It's just not... It's not fair.." She broke into tears as Sasha grabbed her arm and started to help Brendan move her towards the house. "You know how it is.. Sash.. you know how it is.. you lost a baby.. you lost a.."

"Shhh.. Grace I know.. it's alright."

"It's not fair." She sobbed again.

"No no.. it's not.." Sasha's voice faded into the darkness as the small group started to branch off into the night.

"You okay?" Bosco cupped his wife's shoulder, craning to see the look in her eyes. She nodded absently, her eyes still fixed on the empty space Grace had filled moments before. "She's crazy."

Faith nodded again.

"Let's go to bed." She told him softly. "I-. I just want to.." He nodded back, taking her hand and leading her towards the house.

In the morning, Brendan Finney stopped by the Boscorelli's room to apologize on behalf of his wife. No one answered his knock.

He and Grace were on there way back to Manhattan by noon.


	18. Chapter 18

_"Captain, I still think it would be better if we used the back entrance." The young officer next to her whispered again. _

_"Kathrine, I appreciate your concern but I'm not hiding"_

_"Yes Ma'am." The woman's eyes swept over her before looking out the window. _

_"Oh my God." Emily whispered softly from the front seat as the squad car moved into position. She watched the uniformed officers outside the car fight to move back the crowd. The door opened slowly and an arm reached into the car, Faith took it. _

_"Cover your face." Ty Davis whispered, pulling her close to his suit jacket as she slipped out of the car. _

_"Get Emily, I'm fine." She yelled to him, her voice lost as the roar of the crowd erupted around her. Officer Katherine Heigmen winced against the noise as she exited the quiet car. Ty shook his head at her, pulling at the edge of his lapel and shielding her. Heigman stood at her other side. she craned her head to try and see her daughter, but she was lost in a sea of uniforms. "Emily.."_

_"She's safe Faith." Ahead of her another cop was moving her attorney quickly through the crowd. _

_"MURDERER! MURDERER!" The chanting hit her, smacking her skin like a painful sting. "Whore! Slut!" _

_Just before Katherine handed Ty a file folder to cover her face with she caught sight of a woman hand clenched around a sign with a bloodied body of a baby on it. Her eyes fell into the woman's as her face curled into a sneer. _

_"Baby Killing Bitch!" The woman spat as Ty's hand shot up, tightening his grip around her arm._

_"Just keep walking Faith." Ty whispered._

_"Bitch! Bitch! Baby Killing Bitch!" _

* * *

Her eyes shoot open with a jolt in the semi-darkness, her body jumping in the bed.

"Wha?" Bosco stirred beside her, rolling his body back in her direction.

"Nothing." She said softly, laying her hand against her back. "It's okay."

"You sure?" His voice slurred as he turned all the way around with a grunt.

"Go back to sleep." She gave him a unconvincing nod and pulled herself out of the bed.

"Faith?" He watched her body disappear through the door of the bedroom before rolling onto his back with a sigh. He rubbed his eyes blinking at the ceiling for a minute before following her into the hall before turning into the office. "What are you doing? Come back to bed."

"I.." She looked across the desk grabbing a file. "I just thought of something. I have to.."

"It's four in the morning."

"Bosco I have to-."

"Look at me."

"I have work to-."

"Look at me." He said again a little more sharply, before his voice dropped. "Please." Her eyes shut before taking a soft breath and lifting her eyes to him. "What was it?"

"I-." Her head shook slowly before she dragged her teeth across her bottom lip.

"The shooting?" He watched her head shake more quickly now as she drug her hands across her face and swallowed. "Faith.. don't do this."

"There were..." She started slowly, her still shaking head dislodging tears from the rims of her red eyes. "Like hundreds of them all screaming at-. They stood there shouting baby killer-. Hundreds of people just-."

He moved around the desk, pulling the file from her hands and grasping her shoulders and searching her eyes.

"Is this about Grace Finney?" She held his gaze for a second before swallowing hard. "She's a bitter bitch who had too much too drink Faith." Her eyes blinked at him for a few minutes before her eyes started to clear. "She's nothing. No one."

"Bosco she's right." He made the sour milk face he made when he couldn't understand.

"Don't do this." He pulled at her upper arm until she stood up to face him. "You didn't make it through all that to-."

"All that." She shook her head quickly, pulling her arm away.

"Faith.." Bosco sighed.

"No. All that? All that like being called a Murderous Whore? All that like Sleeping my way up the promotion ladder?"

"Stop it."

"It's what I did isn't?"

"Faith you got involved with one asshole.."

"I killed a suspect in custody and got promoted. I slept with my CO and then cried fowl when I didn't get a promotion. Right? I chose my job over my children, born and unborn. And she's the bitter bitch for pointing it out?"

Bosco closed his eyes for a second before looking shaking his head.

"You wanna do this? You wanna make yourself the bad guy?" Her eyes dropped to her desk. "You want to bury yourself back under all this crap?" He flipped his hand at her overflowing desk. "You wanna push me away and tell me I don't understand? Fine." She swallowed hard, her eyes creeping over the mounds of files. "But you weren't the only one who's reputation was on trial in that courtroom."

She listened to him huff out of the room, pulling her eyes up to the doorway before dropping into her chair.

* * *

"79-Sargent what's your status?"

"Sargent to Central: Bus just got here. Shouldn't be too much longer now."

"Roger that Sargent. Keep us apprised."

"Will do.." Bosco muttered turning to look at the uniforms around him.

"Sarge?"

"What is it Wilson?" He grumbled, making his way over to the rig.

"He wants an attorney."

"You're not under arrest yet Jacko-." His voice stopped short when his eyes fell on the blond paramedic treating his skel. She froze as Kim walked around the other side of the ambulance.

"We're gonna need to stabilize the brea-. Bosco."

"Zambrano." He acknowledged quickly, before jetting his thumb at Finney. "What the hell is she doin' in our precinct?"

"It was her precinct first." Kim shrugged. "She transferred back."

"Perfect."

"Look, Bosco." Grace began sheepishly. "I wanted to apologize."

"Save it."

"I mean it. Faith didn't deserve-."

"No. She didn't." He shot back, turning his back to her and starting towards his car. "She didn't deserve any of this."

"Hey what about my lawyer?" The suspect hollered after him.

"Call one!" He growled over his shoulder. "Call Johnny Cockran back from the dead for all I care!"

Kim looked at Grace.

"Welcome back to Bed-Sty."


	19. Chapter 19

"Where the hell you been?" The bellow hit him before he'd even made it in from the hallway. Jimmy couldn't help but smirk as he caught site of his lunch-mate. The cop leaned back in the chair, hat haphazardly covering his eyes. He fiddled with the buckle of the gun belt he had laying across his lap.

"You gonna cap yourself over it?" Jimmy flicked his finger at the man's lap.

"Maybe, beats starving to death."

"They needed a supervisor on a call." Jimmy dropped the deli bag on the table in front of him. "I got turkey."

"Aren't you the big boss?" Bosco whined, making a face at the turkey sandwich.

"That's what they tell me."

"Fifty burger joints within five miles of here and you pick turkey?"

"'s good for you Bosco."

"That wife of yours has you so wip-."

"You wanna talk about who's wife has who by the the balls _**Mr**_. Deputy Chief?"

"No." Bosco made a face like he had indigestion.

"Eat the turkey." He muttered looking up as a call for a bus came over the speakers and his wife and her partner started down the stairs. "Hey Kimmy."

"Hey Bosco." Kim said softly before waving her finger at him. "You better not have brought him crap."

"His turn." Bosco moaned holding up the turkey before his eyes fell on Grace Finney as she tried to move past them.

"Good boy." Kim muttered kissing her husband on the head.

"You're not doing anything for my image here Kim." Jimmy watched Bosco glower at Grace's retreating form.

"What image?" She yelled back up the stairs.

"How the hell she get here anyway? Don't you have to approve transfers?"

"She's a good paramedic Bosco." Jimmy shook his head slowly. "She was drunk, she mouthed off. I'd think you'd cut her some slack after everything with your mom."

"What about my ma?" Bosco furrowed his eyebrows.

"At your brother's funeral.." Jimmy began. "She was the first paramedic in. She saved her life."

"I-." Bosco nodded before looking down at the table. "I don't remember the-."

"I knew that. Faith told us all that years ag-." Bosco waved off his apologetic look. " I'm sorry."

"Don't be, it's probably for the best." He nodded at Jimmy. "She was the one who did the trach?"

"Yeah." Bosco took a bite of his sandwich, still nodding at Jimmy. Doherty drummed his fingers over the table top before looking up at Boscorelli again. "Look Bosco-."

"79-Central to 79-Sargent." Bosco's radio cracked to life. He pulled it to his mouth and answered.

"79-Sargent to Central."

"79-Edward is requesting a supervisor to deal with an irate suspect at Lincoln and Fipher." Bosco's head dropped back as he rolled his eyes at the ceiling, unspoken profanity playing across his lips.

"79-Sargent responding." His high voice betrayed his frustration as he looked angrily at his watch. "Please relay that I'm 10 minutes out."

"10-4 Sargent." The radio snapped back to silence and the cop groaned loudly. "Jack-off's can't find there damn weapons without me there to point it out to them." He looked at the fireman. "Sorry."

"Hey last time it was me." Jimmy shrugged. "Think about what I told you, about Grace."

"What ever." He called hurrying out the door.

* * *

"So?" Holly Levin looked at her charge expectantly. The man grinned back at her with soft tolerance. "Anything you need? Cause I can get you.. anything.. "

"No. I'm.. fine. Thanks though." He nodded his head trying to look as sane as possible. She continued to stare at him. "When did you say Carlos was gonna be done at the hospital?"

He watched her eyes widen. Today had been the first day that Kim and Carlos had been more than a foot away from him at any given minute, and it seemed to be making both him and Holly nervous.

"Oh. Um.." She bit her lip, looking towards the door before turning back to him. "Around Seven? But um.. we could call him if-."

"No. No.." He raised his palms to her carefully. "I'm good! I'm fine!"

"Okay then." She looked at the door again, as if willing someone to show up at it. She jumped when the bell actually sounded, thanking the powers that be that it did. "I should get-."

"Holly! Officer John's at the door!" Kylie yelled back dramatically.

"I guess she got-." She turned away from her houseguest for a moment. Kylie was just letting people in now? "Who's officer Jo-?" Her call was cut off by Doc's relieved greeting.

"Hey! Sul! How are you!" He grimaced as Holly jumped a little.

"Doc! Great to see you man." Levine moved slowly out of the way as the two men clapped each other on the back loudly.

"Great. So." She said brightly. "I'll let you two catch up and.. um.. I'll make dinner!"

Sully raised a curious eyebrow as the woman retreated into the kitchen, turning his head towards his old friend.

"Ahh.." Doc muttered. "I'm scaring her to death. I think she's waiting for me to wip out my tin foil hat."

"Nah." Sully scoffed. "She's a bit of a kook. She's probably got a hat you can borrow."

"I don't know." The man pressed his lips together and looked out into the door.

"Ah, forget her. Let's go get burger and a beer."

"I'm not allowed to drink.." The former paramedic muttered sheepishly.

"I'm not either, it just sounds better than _'pick up a latte_.'" John Sullivan drew out the last word in disgust.

"It does." Monte Parker laughed, flashing his million dollar smile at the former cop.

"Holly?" Sully called into the hall. "We're gonna go out for a while if that's okay with you."

"Oh.. um.. that's fine!" She called hurrying down the hall. "Should I count you out for dinner?"

"Oh, we probably won't be back till.." Doc made a face like he was thinking, pursing his lips with a small shake of his head. "After seven."

"Sure." Her eyes lifted before she nodded again before looking at Sully. "Carlos went over all the rules..?"

"We're good." Sully nodded firmly.

"Okay then." She sighed visibly relieved, chuckling a little as Doc did the same. He beamed at her, thinking for the first time today that it might be okay.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N:**I was really bothered by the fact there was no Boz and Faith C2, so I started one. If anyone wants to help me I'd appreciate it. I'm trying to be really selective. I really want stories that keep the characters true to themselves, are well written and let the story work itself out instead of telling the reader whats happening! I also don't feel comfortable putting one of my own stories in there. So if anyone wants to put one in, let me know.

Anyway back to Third Watch.. :)

Lori

* * *

"Hey Chuck." Bosco whispered, dropping his jacket on the chair beside his stepson and pulling his gun from his belt. "Where's your mom?" Charlie watched him check the safety before laying the gun in the case, grinning slightly as he laid it in the closet on top of his mother's.

"Where do you think?" He sniffed, shaking his head a little as Bosco's eyes moved towards the doors of the office. "I was hoping after you two got married she'd come out every once and awhile."

"Me too." Bosco swallowed. "She been in there since she got home?"

"Yeah." Charlie turned his eyes back to the television.

"She eat?" Bosco put his coat up, moving into the kitchen and opening the fridge.

"Not unless a delivery guy came up the fire escape." Charlie flipped the channels a few more times.

The man chuckled, pulling out two Styrofoam containers and examining what was inside.

"He might as much as we freaking order in." He shook his head. "I'm off tomorrow. I'm gonna make us dinner. Real dinner. Maybe even invite my Ma. What do you think? Huh?"

"Italian?" Charlie's eyebrows lifted as he twisted to look at his Uncle B.

"Is my name Boscorelli?" He gestured to his chest, squinting to make the point.

"Can we have garlic bread?" The teenager sounded like someone trying to make a deal.

"Yeah sure." Bosco grinned at him.

"I'm free." He decided.

"Good, now get outta here. I'm gonna try and lure her out." He jerked his head towards the door.

"Good luck." Charlie scoffed, grabbing his book and heading down the hallway.

"I don't believe in luck." He muttered back automatically.

"Then be careful." Charlie teased as the other man balanced the Styrofoam on his arm while he opened the office door.

"Hey." He whispered softly, laying his offering on the table before her. "I brought you some of that Chinese Chicken from Jade Garden."

"I'm not hungry." She didn't look up as he popped the cover off of the leftovers.

"I went to get you on my meal break and Kathy said you took off early." He told her, ignoring her protests as he stabbed a piece of chicken with a fork. "She also said you hadn't eaten anything all day."

"She told you that?" Faith muttered in annoyance. "When did she start to give a shit?"

"She likes me." He told her extending the fork to her lips. "Eat."

"She hates me." Faith muttered letting him force the piece of chicken on her.

"She does not."

"She's been my secretary for five years, she's never so much as asked me if I wanted a glass of water but she's filling you in on my eating habits?" She made a face as he dropped the container on the file in front of her while opening his own.

"It's not like she keeps a diary." He countered. "I said 'I was gonna take her to dinner' and she said 'yeah right like she ever eats.'" He broke off eye contact as he spoke, poking at the rice in his dish with his fork.

"That's not what she said." Faith told him blankly.

"You were there now?" He muttered still stirring the rice.

"She said 'like she needs to eat' didn't she?"

"Same thing." He said quickly.

"It's really not." She gestured at him with the empty fork. "One implies annoyance or even concern, the other implies that I'm some inhuman robot bitch who doesn't need food to survive."

"Faith.." He sighed heavily.

"It's true."

"It's-. Why do you have to do that every damn-? Just eat."

"I'm not hungry." She muttered dropping the fork on top of the chicken. Her husband set his food down, placing his palms flat on the table, squaring off against her.

"Is she married?" He said flatly.

"What?"

"Is. She. Married." He repeated slowly.

"Kathy?" He continued to stare at her confused expression. "Um yeah. I guess so."

"Does she have kids?"

"Kids?" She shook her head at him. "What the hell does that have to do with-?"

"You said she's worked for you for five years and you don't even know if she has a family?" He watched the brief look of remorse that crossed her features.

"I'm the Deputy Chief of Police not a Retail Store Manager."

"Yeah, cause I can see how it's never come up. In five years." He picked up his fork and took another bite. "I'm sure that's not why she thinks you're cold. I'm sure your right, it's probably all about the trail that happened a year before she'd ever even met you." He held her eyes for a few seconds longer than she was comfortable before gathering up his food and making his way to the door. "We're having family dinner tomorrow, be home on time." He didn't look back, pulling the door behind him. "Eat your chicken."

* * *

She was looking again.

Doc kept staring at the book, pretending to read. He took a slow staggered breath, wincing as she jumped just a little.

_Say something Monte_. He thought to himself, there had to be something he could say to her. _Say Levine? If I promise not to shoot you will you stop treating me like the bear exhibit at the Bronx Zoo? _

He slowly closed the book with a sigh and raised his eyes to her, careful to smile disarmingly. Her eyes widened slightly before he moistened his lips and started to speak.

"Anybody home?" Kim's voice rang through the room as she barrelled in the door.

"Aunt Kim's here!" Kes' announcement was followed by a stampede of children.

"Aunt Kim's here." Doc repeated softly to Holly. She nodded turning as Kim arrived in the doorway with Eden on her hip.

"Hi. How's it going?" She said softly kissing the little girls cheek. Doc smiled at her, widening his eyes until they were unfocused.

"Good..Good."

"You ready to go meet Jimmy and the boys?"

"Yeah." He nodded fiercely dropping the book onto his bed. "Holly?"

"No. I um.. I have to be here when the Kenney's pick up Kylie." She looked at Kim. "Carlos and I will meet you when he gets home."

"Okay." Kim nodded, looking back at Kes and Addy. "Get your shoes."

"Have a nice time." Holly bit her lip and made her way out of the room. Doc closed his eyes and let out a long breath.

"That bad?" Kim whispered.

"Let's go." He almost pleaded.

* * *

"It was pretty bad." John Sullivan raised an eyebrow, reaching across the table to grab another slice of pizza. "You could definately feel the tension in the room."

"She's terrified of me." Doc stared at his Pepsi. "It's like she's just waiting for me to go postal."

"She is not!" Kim laughed.

"You saw her Kim, it was like I was ticking."

"If she thought you were a threat she wouldn't let you anywhere near the girls!" Zambrano whispered looking over towards where they were watching Bobby play arcade games. "She just wants to make sure you're okay."

"I though she was supposed to be all Psychic and full of Karma." Sully scoffed. Joey snorted from his spot beside him. Jimmy couldn't help but grin at his teenager.

"Maybe that's it." Doc shook his slice of Pizza at Kim. "Maybe she sees bad Karma."

"Stop it." Kim rolled her eyes.

"No. Seriously, maybe she's had some spooky premonition and it turns out-."

"I think last week she had a premonition saw Elvis at Home Depo okay Doc." Jimmy grinned. "No one has ever accused Holly Levine of being sane. She could have been your roommate at Bellview."

"Mommy!" Eden yelled happily drawing the adults attention to the entryway behind them. Holly stood frozen in her tracks, lips parted slightly while Carlos studied the tips of his shoes in discomfort.

"Karma's a bitch." Sullivan muttered shoving pizza in his mouth.

* * *

"What does Kathy's family have to do with anything?" Bosco's eyes slipped open, the glowing numbers on his alarm clock burning his retinas. 3:45. He rolled to face her.

Faith leaned her head back against the head board as he streached out his hand and slipped it into hers.

"What was Sully's Mom's name?"

"Irene." She shook her head.

"He got brothers and sisters?" His voice was soft.

"A sister. What's your point?"

"You know what my point is." He sighed.

"I've known Sully like twenty five years. I knew Sully before." She shook her head. "You can't act like it's the same thing."

"You can't act like a bitch to everyone you meet and then blame the trial when they think you're a bitch." He countered, his voice raising a little.

"You know what? Forget that I asked okay?" She pulled her hand away from his rubbing it over her face.

"Faith." He sighed softly. "It's time to let it go."

"Let it go?!"

"It's been six years, Faith!" He moaned.

"I'm sorry I didn't realize there was a statute of limitations on anger when your life was shoved through a meat grinder!" She pushed herself up from the bed and started to the door.

"Faith." She turned back towards his voice just in time to catch the small package whizzing towards her head.

"What the hell Bosco!" She looked at the small item in her hand.

"It's from dinner." He told her.

"It's a half eaten fortune cookie." She grimaced.

"Yeah, I realized half way it was yours."

"Mine?"

"Your fortune." He told her, rolling away to face the wall.

Faith tugged at the small slip of paper, smoothing it with her thumb before reading the words.

_Grand adventures await those who are willing to turn the corner_


	21. Chapter 21

* * *

She was surprised to hear voices when she opened the door. She'd figured no one would be home at nine on a Friday, but the happy chatter from the kitchen proved her wrong.

"Eskimos in the Himalayas?" Charlie's voice hit her ears first.

"I plead the fifth on that one. I'm not gonna confirm nor deny-." Bosco yelped.

"Oh he was a total Dumbass!"

She moved to the door way between the entry and the dinning room, leaning against the frame.

"Dumbass? You're calling your own son a Dumbass? Ma?"

"I said _**was**._ You've grown." She patted his hand. "But I nearly lost it when she told me the story! I mean seriously here we were in the middle of the ICU, in what was one of the most terrifying times in our lives, laughing like two fools." Faith's lips moved into a smile. "We must have sat there for hours that day, just trading stories.." Her eyes lifted to Faith. "It was how we stayed sane wasn't it Faith?"

She nodded cautiously, her teeth coming down lightly on her lip as she did. She raised her eyes back to her husband, his face had fallen when she'd appeared. The look on his face made her cold.

"Where were _you_?" He asked casually, as if he could have cared less where she was.

"I got stuck at work." She whispered. "I'm sorry."

"Did you forget about us or blow us off?"

"Maurice!" Rose scolded.

"Which one?" He asked softly, ignoring his mother's scold.

"I was at work Bosco." She muttered stubbornly, trying to square her shoulders. He nodded drawing the inside of is cheek to his teeth, disappointment clear in his familiar motion.

His eyes fell on her breifcase before he looked towards the kitchen.

"I saved you some pasta." He kept his eyes lowered when he turned back to her, flipping them up to hers at the end. "You want me to bring it to the office?"

"Bosco I said I was sorry." She looked away from him, her eyes falling on Rose before looking away quickly.

"Come here Faith. Come sit." Her mother-in-law called patting the chair beside her. Bosco went to get her plate, wordlessly dropping it in front of her.

"I love your spagetti." She whispered.

"So you forgot then?" He whispered back.

"Maurice Louis Bosocorelli!"

"Ma, I'm just trying to figure out if she just doesn't care if she spends time with us; or if she just doesn't even think about us enough to form an opinion."

"You leave it Maurice! She's here now."

"She'd be in the office by now if you weren't here."

"This was a mistake." Faith whispered softly.

"A mistake?" Bosco snorted.

"We were drunk." His eyes widened with her words, realizing what she was calling a mistake. "We'd barely been speaking and then we were getting married."

"Faith.." Bosco's voice was a mixture of warning and panic.

"I mean, we had sex." She whispered absently.

"Faith!" Bosco leaned in trying to catch her eyes. "Charlie go to your room."

The teenager remained frozen.

"Great angry emotional sex, but that's not a marriage. It's just good sex Bosco!" Her chest was heaving when she looked up at him. He studied her face before looking away, Faith following his gaze to Rose and Charlie.

"Oh my God." She closed her eyes for a second before practically running to her office. Bosco leaned against the table for a moment.

"I'm sorry you guys had to-."

"Please Maurice it's not like I thought you were a virgin."

"I'm kinda proof she's not." Charlie muttered absently his face screwing up as he absorbed what he had heard. "It's not pleasant but I'll live.

Bosco glanced at the office doors.

"Go!" Rose Boscorelli gave her son a shove. "Go."

Bosco nodded at the door before moving towards it.

Her head shot up from where it rested on her arms when he opened the door.

"You should go." She spoke in one exhaled breath, her red face shaking back and forth.

"From the room or from the house?" He said quietly making his way around to her side of the desk and sitting on the edge in front of her.

"I don't know." She whispered.

"What's going on?"He asked in confusion.

"What's going-?" She looked at the wall behind him. "All I do is disappoint you."

"We fight and you're willing to throw everything out?"

"What?"

"We fight all the time Faith." He reached out and touched the edge of her face with his thumb, watching her teeth sink into her lip.

"I'm not who you want me to be."

"Yes you are." He assured her. "Your just not acting like her right now."

"What if she's gone?"

"I saw her." He reminded. "At the wedding."

"You were stupid to think everything would just be okay when we got home. That I'd be okay." She swiped at her tears, letting him catch her fingers as she dropped her hand away.

"Who said I did?" She starred at him for a few minutes before he leaned in and kissed her forehead. "I'm gonna try and make it okay." He met her eyes. "I just need you to meet me half way." He winced at the pleading look in her eyes. "Three fourths even?"

Her head nodded sadly and he kissed her again.

"Come eat pasta."

"I told my son and your mother we had sex." She moaned.

"You told them we had great sex, and I think they already thought something might be up with that." He grinned pulling away. She tugged his arm, keeping him in place.

"What if she doesn't come back?" Her huge eyes enveloped him.

"She's here right now." He drew his thumb across her jaw and over her damp lips. "And I'll take what I can get."

"I forgot."

"What?"

"You asked if I blew you off or forgot.." She whispered, he nodded in understanding wrapping his arms around her. She bawled the front of his shirt up in her hands as he laid his lips on the top of her head. "I'm sorry."

"It's going to be okay."

* * *

"My God Chief you look like shit."

"Nice to see you too Finney." Faith muttered. "What do you want?"

"A friend of mine is tied up in case of yours." She substituted _informant_ for friend. Damn she still hated anti-crime.

"Defendant?" She shot cheekily.

"Witness." He shot back with a sarcastic grin. "He wanted to know how close it was to trial."

"You mean if it was going to make it there?"

"Yeah."

"You should call the DA." She told him dismissively.

"He did! He got Ryan's talking points. " She made a face when he mentioned the DA by name, trying to fight down the taste of bile in her throat. "I can't believe that bitch is a prosecutor now."

"She was involved in the case of the century." Faith grimaced.

"Yeah and she lost." He winked at her. She let a sadistic smile cross her lips. "Come on Faith you gotta help me now. Outa spite."

"I don't know what you want me to do." Faith sighed.

"Just tell me what you got. Are you going to trail or not, Faith?" He shifted from foot to foot. She rolled her eyes.

"What case?"

"Murphy."

"I'll look and get back to you."

"You're amazing."

"Yeah. I'm an amazing Whore." She curled her face into a sneer. "You should go before your wife thinks somethings up."

"I'm sorry about that." Brendan said sincerely. "So's Grace."

"We're all sorry Finney. That's how it works." She picked up a notebook and flipped it a few pages in. "It's like the curse of Camelot, we all say and do.. awful things. Sash, Ty, Sully, Doc, Jimmy, Boz and me.. we all did awful things. We say we're sorry and poof.. it's supposed to be all better. It's not though is it?" She tossed the notebook back on the desk. "It's all a bunch of crap unless we get off our asses, quit playing the victim and fix it."

She stopped, glancing up at Finney like she'd just noticed he was still there.

"Are we still talking about Grace?" He asked cautiously.

"No." She told him quietly.

"Wanna talk about it?"

"No." He voice fell even softer before she gave him a genuine smile. "But thanks." She nodded. "I'll um.. look at the case for you."

"Thanks." He gave her another look of assessment, insuring she was actually okay before he left. She gave him a half hearted nod.

* * *

_"Mr. Boscorelli how long were you and your partner engaging in sexual activities?"_

_"Excuse me?"_

_"Objection Your Honor!"_

_"Sustained. Watch yourself Ms. Ryan."_

_"Yes Your Honor. Mr. Boscorelli you've stated that you and Detective Mitchell were partners, best friends. Nothing more?"_

_"No." Bosco swallowed hard. _

_"But six months ago you interrupted her wedding to John Miller?"_

_"Yes."_

_"Why?"_

_"Objection! The witness has already provided an answer to that question."_

_"Ms. Ryan."_

_"I'm sorry Your Honor. I just have a hard time believing that he'd run into a church to stop a wedding without a previous relationship with the bride."_

_"We had a relationship." Bosco said softly. "Just not a physical one."_

_"You jumped in front of bullets for her. She must be pretty damn good at the nonphysical."_

_"Your Honor!!"_

_"Ms. Ryan you're out of line! Stick to your questioning or I'll hold you in contempt."_

_"Faith's amazing." Came the soft reply of the witness. "She'll do anything for anyone. She's done more for me than anyone else in my life. She's kind and loyal and honest. She's amazing." _

* * *

She tried to force the memory of the look on Bosco's face out of her mind. That mixture of betrayal hurt and anger. His jaw clenching protectively for the woman who'd abandoned him. Rejected him. Stopped believing in him. She should have been surprised he even showed up to defend her after everything.

Showed up promising to make it okay. She stood up with a sigh and started out of her office. She knew Finney wouldn't want dangerous criminal on the loose, so the case must be petty. She'd take any opportunity to screw over Betsy Ryan.

"Kathy? Can I have the Murphy file?" Faith stood in the doorway of her office, her eyes carefully sweeping over her secretary's desk for the first time.

"Yes Ma'am." The woman muttered absently, leaving her chair and hurrying to the cabinet. Faith wondered if she moved that quickly out of efficients or if it was just fear of unleashing her bosses temper.

Her eyes went back to the desk, scanning the photo's until her gaze fell on one in a silver frame. A little girl in a purple poke-a-dotted swim suit looked up at her. She felt the corners of her mouth lift as she reached out and plucked the picture from the others.

"I have the Murphy-." Kathy stopped mid sentence, looking at her boss with mild alarm. Faith found herself wondering again if it was surprise or fear.

"She's lovely." The woman muttered quickly, setting the frame back on the desk and taking the file from her. "What's her name?"

"Dena." Kathy rushed the word out of her mouth almost begrudgingly.

"She's.." Faith smiled again. "How old is she?"

"Two now." Kathy relaxed a little as her eyes fell on the picture. "A little over one in the picture."

"Your granddaughter?" Faith guessed.

"Yes Ma'am." Kathy's eyebrow wrinkled slightly.

"Is she your only grandchild?" Now she actually wanted to know.

"No. I have a grandson, he's five." She touched the frame of another photo, still watching her boss like she might at any moment explode. She wanted to know everything there was to know about Kathy.. Oh shit, she didn't even know the woman's last name? Seriously? She swallowed hard, pressing her hand to her mouth. "Are you okay Ma'am?"

"No." She said softly. "I'm.. not okay.. I haven't been okay in.. a long time." Her eyes swept down to the floor. "But um.. I think I'm getting better." She nodded her head at the realization.

"Must be that husband of yours." Kathy decided, her voice still emotionlessly formal. "He's really something."

"Yes." Her eyes clouded over for a second as she slowly set down the file. "He's-. I have to go." She nodded her head again. "I'll um.. I'll be back."

Kathy's eyes shot open wide as she watched her boss grab her purse from her office and move towards the stairs.

"Go?" She called softly.

Faith looked around somewhat disoriented before looking at her. She gave a quick nod before clomping down the stairs. The secretary looked from the file to the picture on her desk before picking up the phone.

"Lila? It's Kathy. You are never going to believe what just happened."


	22. Chapter 22

"Her Granddaughter's name is Dena."

"Faith?" Boz looked up from the log book he was signing, his eyes squinting as he separated from his officers.

"She has a grandson too." She swept a fallen piece of hair behind her ear and walked closer to him. "I.. um didn't ask his name but he's five. I'll ask his name when I get back."

"I-."

"I'm gonna call Connelly." She nodded her head at him decisively. "Go back to therapy. Maybe she can help me stop thinking everybody's just waiting to screw me over."

"I'm not gonna screw you over." Bosco said softly.

"I know that." Her voice was soft and confident, it made his lips twitch into a grin.

"Sarge? We're going to take off no-. Chief." Grace Finney's face paled even more than Bosco would have thought possible.

"Grace." Faith took a long slow breath. "I'm glad you're here."

_Well look at that_, Bosco thought, trying not to smirk at Finney. _She can get even paler._

"Faith look.." THe other woman whispered, looking down at the ground. "I'm really sorry about-."

"No, Grace.. I.." She shook her head. "I'm so sorry you're having problems and I don't blame you for bein' upset with me. I'm sure from where you're standing I look-." She looked away from Finney's face. "I just want you to know that neither decision came easy to me. But I felt like both were the best one for me at the time."

"Grace let's roll!" Kim called from the rig.

"Comin!" She called her confused face glancing back at Faith.

"So.. I'm sorry about what happened. I hope you get what you want, I really do."

"Thanks." Grace said softly backing up from her cautiously.

"I didn't say you had to play nice with H_er Majesty_." Bosco whispered.

"She wants what I gave up." Faith pressed her lips together, turning towards her husband. "It's not her fault Boz."

"Says you." He pressed.

"Yeah. Says me." She told him strongly.

Bosco fought a smile before giving in and grinning at her as he moved closer.

"If I weren't in uniform I'd kiss you right now."

"As you were Sargent." She told him sternly raising playful eyebrow. "I've got to go home and wait for my husband. I've got plans for him when he gets home."

"Yeah?" He called after her as she started to walk away.

"Yeah." He knew she was grinning as he starred at the back of her head.

* * *

Sullivan watched the ball move from Doc's hands over Bobby Doherty's head before landing in his father's grasp. Jimmy laughed lightly before holding it up to his older son.

"Joe, go long!"

"Carlos come on! Just talk to her." Kim leaned her elbow on the table, cupping her forehead as her voice seemed to beg into the cell phone. "Tell her we were kidding! We were kidd-. Carlos come on, we were! He can't. You know he can't. I'm gone all day and his probation says 500ft. of the fire house! Jimmy's not comfortable-. I cant' you know I can't. Carlos just talk to her!"

She clamped the phone shut, tilting her head back to stare at the cloudy sky.

"Holly sill mad about our little dinner theater the other night?"

"She wants Doc out."

"Out?"

"Of her house." Kim smirked at him.

"Crap."

"No kidding." She shook her head again. "This is all Carlos' fault."

"Carlos?"

"Yes! Carlos!" Kim gestured wildly. "Holly didn't understand what she was getting into."

"Come on Kim she's got a screw loose."

"She's different Sully. She's not stupid and she's not being unreasonable in not wanting a former mental patient living with her kids!" John Sullivan looked at the ground as she composed herself. "Carlos just forced it on her, and she tried to make the best of it, cause that's what she does. I just think after all she's been through she deserves to live in her little safe, naively optimistic bubble for a little while!"

When he looked back up at her lost face she broke her gaze away, focusing it on the football game.

"The thing is? Carlos is gonna be crushed. He's put so much into this.." She bit her lip. "Helping Doc. Better late than never huh?" She dropped her face to her hands again. "I gotta bring him home with me."

"Hey Doc!" Sully's guttural yell caused her head to bob back up. His eyes were still locked on her. "I was thinking you'd come up to the cabin with me. Go fishin' for the week."

"Yeah?" Monty Parker jogged back towards the picnic table, glancing at Zambrano. "I gotta ask my folks I guess." He grinned one of his priceless smiles. "What do you say Mom? Think Dad will let me go?"

Kim's face slipped cautiously into a smirk.

"If you promised to be good for Mr. Sullivan I think he might." She whispered extending her cell phone to him. Doc nodded at her before dialing.

"Hey Carlos. Sully wanted to know if I could spend some time at the cabin. When?" Parker looked at the old cop.

"We could leave tonight."

"Tonight. Yeah no it sounds like fun." He nodded walking back towards Jimmy and the boys, the phone still stuck to his head.

"Thank you."

"You're not the only one who promised to be by his side through this." Sully winked at her softly as Jimmy appeared at her side. "You guys have a week to duke out your custody arrangements."

"When did I become the parent of a fifty year old man?" She moaned, smile still fixed on her face.

* * *


	23. Chapter 23

She wasn't in the office. For a moment he wondered if he'd somehow beat her home, but then he heard the low soft sound of the radio coming from their bedroom. He opened the small door between the two rooms and leaned into the frame. She was on the middle of the bed, hair piled on top of her head in a messy ponytail. He watched her slip the loose spaghetti strap of her tank top back up onto her shoulder. Sweatpants and a tank wasn't the red lace teddy that had flashed through his fantasies since she'd left him on the street, but now it almost brought him to tears.

It was so Faith it took his breath away, one knee to her chest, the other tucked beneath her foot, flipping through big pages of the photo album sitting on the bed in front of her. He squinted his eyes, focusing on the music. Oasis. His mouth twitched into a grin as he remembered the jukebox at Haggarty's and how many times she had played Wonder Wall one night a million lifetimes ago, swaying drunkenly to the music after a particularly crappy shift.

Now he watched her lips slowly mouth the words.

_I said maybe you're gonna be the one who saves me._

He watched her face twitch, trying to hide a smile and he knew he'd been discovered.

"You'll never believe what happened today." She said, her eyes still on the album.

"What?"

"Some cocky beat Sargent said he wanted to kiss me." Her voice was serious, he sucked in his smile.

"Jackoff!" He growled.

"I know!" She squawked, taking a second to look at him for the first time.

"I'll kill him." He moved forward.

"I told him I hadda get home to my husband." She raised her eyebrows, nodding.

"You better have." He joined her on the bed, pressing a kiss to the inner side of the spaghetti strap. "What you got?"

He followed her fingers to the album as she traced his face in a picture with her perfectly manacured nail.

"You're hairs too long." She's right, he decided turning up his nose at himself.

"I don't know what that was about." He shook his head, trying not to notice the smoothness of his right cheek. She lifted her hand to his face, eyes still focused on the picture having the same thought. He turned into it and kissed her palm. "You look so.."

"Young?" She whispered a little too longingly.

"Well rested." He decided, drawing his hand down the album to him and Charlie, all wrapped up in some game-boy game. The two of them sitting on the surface of a picnic table, with Emily on her cell in the background. It was before, he realized almost sadly. Before the drama back when the world was still flat and everyone was the better for it.

"If you woulda told me then that being a street cop was the way to stay young.." She shook her head.

"You'da hit me." He whispered kissing her shoulder again. She dropped her head to the side and moaned in appreciation. "Where's Charlie?"

"Out with Sam." She told him, reaching up to his head again pressing him closer. "I told him not to come home tonight. "Bosco snorted and she could feel the grin stretch onto his face as he reached forward and closed the album before setting it on the floor by the bed. "I think after my little outburst at dinner the other night he'll gladly stay away."

"He got someplace to go?" Bosco turned his lips to her throat.

"There's like a thousand benches in the park." She teased, shaking her head like he wasn't thinking. His soft grin made her smile as he pressed their foreheads together.

"I missed you." He whispered.

"I missed me too." She replied, bringing her lips to his.

* * *

"Can I talk to you?"

"You sure you wanna come in here? I don't have on my tin foil hat."

"Holly." Kim's voice was a soft sigh, Holly rolled her eyes.

"I've never really understood that anyway, cause tin foil's made of aluminum and the first signs of aluminum poisoning is paranoia. So maybe they didn't put the hat on cause they were paranoid, maybe the hat **made **them paranoid. Maybe the hat was a fashion statement or something."

"Holly."

"Or maybe they were paranoid because everyone really was talking about them behind their backs."

"Holly come on knock it off!" Kim rolled her own eyes and flopped down on the couch next to her friend. "We were joking."

"Yeah."

"Come on Hol, you know you're off the wall sometimes! That doesn't mean that all the sudden everyone's out to get you." She shook her head.

"You're my best friend. You know that don't you?" The blond said suddenly, her voice unusually serious. "My very best friend." Kim's hand jetted out and landed on the other woman's leg as a pained expression crossed her features. "I know that you and Carlos have this bond that.. that.. I'll never be a part of."

"You know I love you." Zambrano whispered.

"And Doc." She continued ignoring the other woman's assurance. "He's like a big peice of the puzzle and I..."

"Don't say you don't fit in because you do." Kim inturpted. Holly's face betrayed her sorrow for a second before she shook her head again.

"I don't want to fit." Holly smiled. "He.. He.. I don't want to-."

"Holly when you met him, he wasn't himself. He wasn't the Monty Parker we knew." Kim sat up straight turning her physical energy on her friend. "If you're scared or worried or-."

"I'm not the same person I was twelve years ago and I won't be dismissed like I am!" The paramedic yelled loudly, watching Kim jump.

"I don't understand." Kim looked at her pleadingly.

"Yeah, take a number." Her airy distant voice matched the expression on her face as she stood. "The girls will be home soon. They'd be crushed if they knew you were here and didn't wait."

Kim watched the back of her head as she disappeared down the hall, hearing the bedroom door close and lock behind her.


	24. Chapter 24

Carlos turned in the dark, letting his eyes adjust to the small stream of light from the window. He let his gaze travel down Holly's face, thinking about the things Kim had told him.

Life before Holly was not something he remembered often. Foster homes and one night stands weren't really something you reminiced about. Ty had been his first real friend, Kim had been the best friend he'd ever had in his life.

And Holly, Holly who had chosen him, picked him like he'd been in a catalogue of potiental husbands. Holly who'd helped to mend the broken parts, helped him learn to trust again. Holly who'd given him a family, three children he lived for, would die for. Holly who'd helped him turn Kylie's open adoption into a way to make her part of that family.

She was right, he realized, studying the way the light reflected off of her hair. She was not the same person she was twelve years ago. Things had changed her. The girls had of course, changed Holly as much as they'd changed him. Addie's health problems had worn away some of the optimism, some of the parts of her that made her who she was. Who she **was**. His decision to leave the streets, to start back to Med school, to start his residency, had put more pressure on her. It had eroded the old Holly even more.

He watched her eyebrows wrinkle and relax, suddenly wondering if he even knew the woman sleeping beside him.

"Carlos your thinking is keeping me awake." She told him softly. "Can you contemplate in the morning?"

"Yeah." He whispered innocently, blinking his wide eyes. "Sorry."

""S okay." She mumbled.

* * *

She kissed his chest, trying to catch her breath. Her husband trembled beneath her again, she grinned shaking off her shirt.

"Don't take it off yet." Bosco muttered, pulling her fingers away from the edge of the fabric with his free hand.

"I can't believe it even still fit me." She shook her head as she sat back up on her knees and smoothed her hands over the front of the open shirt.

"Uncuff me." He said softly, watching the side of her face quirk up. "I promise not to resist."

"Oh you can't resist me." She tossed her leg over his torso, straddling him as she unlocked his left hand from the head board.

"True, Officer." Bosco ran his hands up her sides peeling the uniform shirt from her naked chest. "God I can't tell you how many times I imagined doing that."

"The naughty traffic stop?" She teased watching his face twist into a grin.

"Taking off your uniform." He snorted, brushing his cheek against her bare breast.

"You're ruining my innocent memories of 55-David." She pushed him back playfully, dropping to the bed next to him.

"You ever think what it could have been like?" He blinked at the ceiling before turning to watch her consider the question.

"What?" She shook her head, furrowing her eyebrow just a little. "Sex in the RMP?"

"I'm being serious."

"Oh God that's scary."

"Fine never mind then." He turned back to the ceiling. "I'm trying to have a moment here."

"Awh.." She said softly running her finger down his cheek as he fought to suppress a grin."Okay you got me? _What it could have been like_ what?

"If it hadn't gone down like that. Mann.. the whole thing at Mercy... You're promotion. You think we'd have made it back?"

"We were getting there already weren't we?"

"I dunno." She liked the way his eyebrows arched innocently with his frank answer. He studied her again before she crept closer to his side. "You were still pretty fuckin' pissed at me."

"You kept treatin' me like some kinda china doll." She balked, his lip twitched into a smile.

"What?"

"Nothin'."

"Liar." She pulled her head back until she could see his face completely. "What?"

"Nothin' just when we talk like this you get all Street Faith."

"Street Faith." It was a mixture of confused offense and mild amusement.

"Yeah, you start talkin' all tough and forgettin' that you're the third most powerful Cop in New York City." He snorted. "Makes me nostalgic that's all."

"Nostalgic." She snorted. "I didn't even know you knew what that word meant."

"You ain't the only one who's grown, you know." He teased rubbing his hand over her bare shoulder. "I like it."

"Me _getting' all Street Faith_?" She tossed her hand into the air in a wild gesture.

"That's my Faith. She's the girl I fell for." He leaned forward, kissing the corner of her mouth. "The girl I love."

"Yeah?" She turned into his kiss, her mouth stretching over her teeth.

"Yeah." He smiled back at her, pressing his lips against her forehead. "Don't get me wrong.. I like smart savvy Faith too."

"You think I'm savvy?" She grinned.

"I think you're amazing."

Faith brought her lips to his kissing him firmly.

"What was that for?"

"Sticking by me." She waited a second before kissing him again. He reached up absently and fished the cuffs from her hands.

"Hummuh?" Her muffled question got nothing more than a shake of his head as his lips refused to give hers up. She grinned running her hands up into his hair. "'Kay."

* * *

"Jimmy." The firefighters eyes snapped open in the darkness of his bedroom.

"Whatzwrong?"

"He comes back in three days." Kim said softly.

Doherty sighed deeply, rubbing his face in an attempt to wake himself up.

"Kimmy.."

"She's not going to let him move back in with them." She sniffed.

"Are you crying?" He rolled onto his side bringing his hand to her face.

"I've-." She sniffed again. "I've never seen her like that."

"She's been through a lot." He blinked at her before rolling her towards his chest.

"I don't know what this is though. It's not about that night at the pizza place. It's.. something else." She clutched his t-shirt and started to sob. "He's coming back in three days and I don't know what I'm going to do."

"What about Jerry?"

"They haven't talked in years." She shook her head quickly, her sobs increasing. "We're all he has. No family, no friends. All he had was the job. All he has left is me and Carlos. Jimmy he has to come here. He has too."

He sighed again, bringing one hand to his forehead and another to her hair.

"Okay." He sighed.

"Really?" She propped herself up on her elbow and looked him in the eye.

"I want Bobby to go to your mom's after school. At least in the beginning." He swallowed. "Until I'm sure.."

"Okay. That's fine." She nodded enthusiastically.

"People have to help out Kim."

"Ty said he would. And DK." She said quickly, trying to insure he didn't change his mind.

"Joe might be able to." Jimmy sighed again. "I'll call him."

"Jimmy this is going to be okay. I promise."

"Kim.."

"I promise." She kissed his lips.

"You've got to keep talking to Holly.."

"I will." She kissed him again. "Thank you."

"Can I go back to sleep now?"

"Yes." She said softly kissing him one more time. "Yes, Goodnight."


	25. Chapter 25

"I'm here!" Danny Finney burst through the door of his friends home, with his sleeping bag dragging behind him.

"They're putting on a movie for bedtime." Carlos pointed, weaving out of the way as the little boy darted by. "You know, bedtime, when you sleep?"

"He'll calm down." Grace smiled at him.

"He better." He opened the fridge, grabbing a soda before holding one up to her.

"Thanks."

"Holly's not ready. Kim's not here yet." She watched him look towards the door just as the door bell sounded.

"What are you psychic?"

"Nah. He's never late." Carlos said absently jogging over to the door and swinging it open. "Hi Mike."

"Carlos!" The other man took his hand, shaking it firmly.

"Ky! Your Pop's here!" He called back over his shoulder. "

"How's the hospital treating you?"

"Alright." Nieto shrugged. "Long hours, crazy surgeries I don't feel qualified to do."

"Reasuring."

"No kidding, huh?" He looked at Grace. "Oh, Mike this is Grace Finney, Kim's partner. Grace this is Mike Kenny, Kylie's Father." He looked back to towards the bedroom hall way.

"Girls night out?" He guessed looking at Grace's outfit.

"Yeah, I'm stuck here babysitting." He shook his head, wondering once again how he could have gotten tricked into this. "Kylie Marie!"

"I'm coming!" She shouted back, apearing in the doorway with her backpack. "Hi Pop." She said softly kissing her father on the cheek before turning back to Carlos. "Bye Daddy." Grace watched her wrap her arms around his neck as he lifted her feet off the ground.

"Be good." He whispered. "I love you."

"I love you too. Don't forget, Saturday-."

"Seven thirty. Fourth and Sutton." He finished kissing the top of her head as she grinned back at him. "I'll bring the camera."

Kylie moved back towards Mike Kenny, who slung an arm over her shoulder.

"I guess I'll see you at Ballet then?" The other man grinned.

"Where else would two manly men do on a Saturday night?" Carlos snorted, watching his oldest daughter shoot him a dirty look. "She better be good."

"She always is." Kenny admited on the way out the door. "Thanks Carlos."

"Bye."

"Bye Daddy." He closed the door with a short wave before turning back to Grace.

"Isn't that hard?" She whispered. Carlos pursed his lips before shaking his head.

"She's twelve." He shrugged. "It was hard eleven years ago. I'm lucky, her folks are good people. I get to see her, be a part of her life. Hear her call me Dad." He shrugged again. "That's not hard."

"Yeah but the Kenny's-." She shook her head. "It must be hard for them."

"You should talk to them." Carlos said quickly, trying not to sound defensive. He nodded again before sighing in releife when Kim came through the door.

"Hey. I ran into Mike and Kylie on the way out. He says she has a dance thing next Saterday?"

"I thought you were working."

"We are." She looked at Grace. "Hey." Her partner smiled. "But I could stop by after. Give her flowers, see her costume."

Carlos grinned, shaking his head at her as he walked to the fridge again.

"You need a daughter." He teased.

"Why? I got yours." She smiled affectionately.

"Meet us a Spenelli's around nine." He told her handing her a soda. "Holly's in slow motion."

Kim's face fell, as her and Carlos exchanged long looks.

"What?" Grace said quickly.

"Nothing." They said in unison, their faces turning towards her.

"Guys!"

"Grace it's nothing." Kim repeated shaking her head. "I'm going to kiss Danny and the girls goodnight."

Carlos nodded as she started down the hall.

"Is this about what Doc said?" Grace huffed in frustration, looking at Carlos. Kim froze.

"What?" Zambrano asked turning back to look at her partner who shot her a puzzled look.

"What Doc said about Eden having.." She looked down the hall before whispering the forbidden word. "Autism."

Kim felt the sparks flood her body as her eyes fell shut. They were already starting to tear when she looked at Carlos. His mouth opened just a little as his head jerked back like she'd slapped him.

"Oh God." Kim whispered starting back down the hall towards Holly's room. "Damn it."

"Kimmy wait."

"Carlos she's-." He put up his hand to his partner.

"Tell us.." He swallowed before continuing, giving Grace a grave stare. "Tell us exactly what he said."

* * *

"Hey!" The familiar call jolted her from her thoughts as she quickly folded the letter back up and shoved it under the pile of laundry on the counter beside her.

"Laundry room!" She shouted back, running her hands over her face.

"You cooked?" He raised an eyebrow at her before planting a kiss on her shoulder at the base of her neck.

"I can you know." She sneered as his arms slink around her waist.

"You can." He agreed, kissing her again before pulling back and dumping some of the laundry from the pile into the washing machine. "But you don't."

She watched the spot where she'd tucked the letter.

"I do too." She breathed.

"Give me one example?" He raised an eyebrow, unscrewing the cap and pouring a small amount of soap in.

"Tonight?" She shrugged, starring at the hidden envelope some more.

"What's wrong?" He followed her gaze.

"I gotta tell you something." She sighed.

"Something about laundry?" He asked picking up a few more of the items. "Did you shrink my gym clothes again?" He dug further before spotting the letter.

"You have to promise not to-."

"He wrote you?" Bosco yelled looking at the return address.

"-freak out." She sighed again, snatching the envelope from his hand. "It's an apology."

"So, the fuck, what?" Bosco's eyebrows knit together into the puzzled expression that always made her feel like her trachea was closing.

"It's just an-." She put her hand on his arm, moving the letter to chest in an attempt to get it further away from him. Like the letter itself was the source of his pain.

"And that's supposed to make it better?" He shook his head. "Give it to me."

"Why?" She asked him, her fingers digging into his wrist a little deeper. "It's nothing."

"You wanna keep it or something?" His voice was that frantic, confused tone she hated, the one that made him out of breath.

"Yeah I need a little memento." She snapped back trying to keep him calm. "I'm supposed to keep it to show he's in violation of the restraining order."

His eyes dropped to the floor as he nodded, his body going limp. She watched him suck in his cheeks in an attempt to check his anger.

"Good." He said shortly, moving his wrist from her grasp before nodding again and heading for the door. "I'm warm up the dinner."

"Boz." She dropped her head back to the ceiling as he started from the room. "Bosco."

"I'm hungry." He called back absently. "You hungry?"

"I ate with Charlie."

"Kay." His voice echoed from the kitchen. "Don't wash that in hot okay? I don't want my work out shorts to shrink."

"Kay." She called back softly, letting him drop it.

Faith pulled out the letter again, looking at the return address before moving the dial on the washer to cold and starting the load.

John Miller  
1076 Newburry Ct.  
Camden, NJ 08107


	26. Chapter 26

"How was girls' night out?" Brendan whispered, lifting his arm as Grace snuggled under it.

"Awkward." She made a face.

"Yeah?" He opened one eye and looked at his wife.

"You know how I'm always the third wheel? Between Kim and Holly?"

"Yeah and I'm always telling you to hang with Monroe." He raised and eyebrow at her as if to say I told you so.

"Yeah, probably not gonna happen." She told him frankly, as he cast his eyes down at the space between them.

"It's not her fault she's pregnant Grace."

"Yeah. Okay. Can I get back to my story now?" She huffed giving him a meaningful look. "It's big."

"Proceed." He drew the word out with renewed interest in her tale.

"I'm always the third wheel cause Holly and Kim are so close and whatever but tonight, tonight- I swear Brendan. I would have sold my soul to have them even look at each other. "

"They fightin'?"

"Apparently." She tilted her head and gave him a duhh look. "All cause Holly told me that Doc told her that he knew Holly was into the 'new age' thing, but he's pretty sure Eden has autism and they really should get some therapy."

"You're freaking kiddin' me." Brendan muttered leaning forward. "The guys gotta lotta nerve."

"No kidding." Grace shook her head. "He's locked up in the loony bin for like ten years only to come back and start sticking his nose in where it doesn't belong you know?" Her husband grunted. "But here's the thing. Holly told me." She gestured to her own chest before turning to her side to look at him. "Not Kim.. Not Carlos.. but me."

"Maybe you're not a third wheel after all?"

"Maybe she didn't want to upset them. Maybe she didnt' want to ruin the 'we got Doc back' love fest they've been in all summer?"

"I don't know. Ty says it's not all that lovey dovey. They sent him to stay with Sullivan for two weeks."

"Cause Holly kicked him out. After the Eden thing and then everybody in the bar talking about her and taking his side and stuff."

"It's not like he knows the whole story though." Finney sighed, pressing his lips to his wife's forehead.

"Yeah but still it's none of his busness." She flattened her palm out on his chest.

"I know." He sighed. "I just kinda feel sorry for the guy though. He's got this life and this job that he loves and then he pulls a crazy and ends up loosing it all. He comes back and everyone moved on without him. Nothings the same. Ty says he was like a Dad to Carlos. Kim too kind of."

"Yeah, well, he's not the first Dad to turn out to be a let down." She pushed back to meet his eyes.

"True." Finney agreed softly. "But it still bites."

She touched her lips to his.

"Holly's gonna be okay?"

"Yeah. I think she needs to come clean to Kim and Carlos."

"Yeah. " He sighed, snuggling back into the blankets, his arms still wrapped around her. She blinked in the silence for a few minutes.

"Brendan?" She whispered.

"Humm?" His eyebrows lifted.

"What do you think about Kylie?"

"Kylie? Carlos' kid?" She watched his face wrinkle.

"The one he put up for adoption."

"I think she's a kid. What are you looking for here?" His eyes stayed shut, his face relaxing into sleep.

"Nothing." She told him, pursing her lips.

"Grace?" His voice was semi conscious.

"Nothing." She kissed him. "Go back to sleep. Carlos'll probably be at our door with Danny at five am."

Brendan Finney snorted back a laugh before drifting off to sleep.

* * *

"You're awake." Holly stated fumbling with her house keys.

"Yep." Nieto looked at the coffee table.

"Were the kids up late? Did Danny do okay?"

"Little Finney was fine. He fed Bird sunflower seeds for like three hours before he passed out. They're all asleep." He assured her his eyes still straight ahead.

"Well good." She dropped onto the couch, a small space still between them.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Carlos asked curiously, his eyes finally daring to look at her.

"Tell you." It wasn't a question, more of an accusation.

"Yes Holly, _tell me_. Tell me what Doc said about Eden."

"What would you have done?"

"Explain it to him. Explain why he was way out of line." He moved his hands to his face and raked them up to his hair. "Way out of line."

"And what would that have done?" She said softly.

"It would have made him understand."

"It would have made him feel guilty." She shook her head, rising to her feet. "That's not good for him."

"Him? What about you?" Carlos hissed in a loud whisper.

"Me?" Holly rolled her eyes. "Now you care about me?

"Hol-." He made a horrified face, shaking his head back and forth. "That's ridiculous you know I-."

"Carlos not once. Not once before, during or after did you care about what I felt when it came to Monte Parker."

"That's not true." He told her weakly.

"Yes Carlos it is." She said firmly. "This is important to you. Doc getting better. You.. feel like you owe him.. or something. You and Kim both and it's-."

"He was like a father to me." Carlos shook his head, pleading with her to understand.

"Was he? Cause from what I understand he treated you like you were never going to be as good as him." Holly snapped, her strength wavering after the words were out of her mouth. She looked at him apologetically.

"Isnt' that what Father's do?" He asked honestly, reaching out his hand to hers. She took it, examining his fingers before squeezing it.

"Not the ones you rearrange your life for. " She pleaded. "Not the good ones."

Carlos shrugged.

"Good or bad he's the only one I have."

* * *

She stopped short when she saw the light in the guest room was still on. She moved towards it, rapping the edge of the door frame with her knuckles.

"You're still up?"

"Kimmy!" He looked at her brightly, gesturing back to the computer screen. "You gotta look at these pictures I took at Sully's place."

She moved closer, her eyes falling on the screen. She smiled a little at the photo of the two of them in full fishing gear holding up a line full of bass.

"Why didn't you tell me about what happened with Holly?" She asked calmly, sitting on the edge of the bed behind her. The man's eyebrows furrowed for a second before he turned back to face her.

"You were there. You heard it all." He stuck out his lip, thinking about the pizza place.

"Not that." Kim looked at the ceiling as he shook his head.

"Nothing else happened."

"What you said. About Eden." He made a face she'd seen many times. It was his 'oh that' face. Like he was so put out that his wealth of knowledge had been taken the wrong way.

"I was just trying to help."

"Don't ever say that again." She told him sharply. "Don't ever say anything like that to her.. " Kim gasped back the sudden onslaught of tears. "There are things you don't know. About our lives.. who we are now.. things that have happened to us.." She wiped her eyes. "Carlos and Holly and those girls have been through hell. So don't think that you know.. cause you don't. You weren't there. You weren't there and you don't know." She didn't mean to get so loud. He watched her pinch her eyes shut when she realized, swallowing the tears.

"I'm sorry." He said solemnly.

"Don't apologize to me. Apologize to Holly."

"No." He said softly, sitting beside her on the bed. "I'm sorry for the things that happened. Who I became. How I treated you before." He watched her face crumple again. "For what I did." He raised his hand up and cupped her cheek. "For not being there. I'm sorry for that Kim." She huffed out a sob before she let him wrap his arms around her. "I'm very sorry."

* * *

"I'll be late. I'm meeting a Davis and a bunch of the guys for drinks. Don't wait up." Maurice Boscorelli called into the bathroom he shared with his wife before starting towards the door.

"Wait like half a second and I'll give you a ride." She called back.

"Ah." He huffed. "I'll take the train."

"You hate the train." She moved into the hallway, watching him grab his bag. "Boz!"

"Faith it's out of your way."

"So?"

"It's stupid for you to drive me." He commented, rolling his eyes.

"I hasn't been stupid the other ten times I've done it since your cars been in the shop?"

"Faith.."

"If you're gonna be mad at me Bosco at least have the nerve to say so." She snapped, watching him sigh. He set the bag on the table and walked towards her, kissing her on the forehead before meeting her eyes.

"I'm not mad at you. I'm just-." He took a deep breath. "I need some time."

"I didn't ask him to write me." She reminded him softly.

"I'd just gotten used to forgetting he ever existed." He gave her a half hearted half a grin, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "I don't appreciate his reminder." She smiled back even weaker than him. "I gotta crappy day today with the rookie from hell."

"Good luck."She snorted.

"I don't believe in luck."

"Then be careful." She hollered after him.

"We've done this before." He called as the door swung shut behind him.

* * *


	27. Chapter 27

"I was just sayin' I don't wanna be partnered with no chick." The young man looked at his feet, kicking one shoe with the other.

"Don't say that infront of the Sarge." Probation Officer Jack Wilson rolled his eyes at his rookie.

"I'm not afriad of ole' scarface." Todd Brenner rolled his eyes into the back of his head.

"Yeah I'd stay away from that topic too." Wilson sighed, leaning in to whisper to his charge as Boscorelli stormed towards them. "Just stand there and let him give it to you."

"Tell me why I shouldn't parade you in front of the Lieutenant right now and have him snach that brand new badge right out of your ignorant hands?"

"I meant no disrespect." Brenner told him strongly.

"You meant no-." Bosco shook his head. "Officer Timms is an eight year vetran of the force, she is your senior officer and one of the best officers I've ever had the privilage of riding with."

"Yes Sir."

"I don't want to talk about this with you again Rookie." Bosco exhaled, clearly dropping the offical lecture.

"I got it Sarge."

"If you gotta problem with a strong woman, let me tell you I'm missing out."

"Guess I'm just not used to having someone like Timms telling me what's what."

"Yeah. She's-. A ballsy woman." Bosco grinned shaking his head. "But you gotta get used to women in power. The third most powerful cop in the city is a woman."

"You mean the Hag of 1PP?" The young man snorted.

"Excuse me?" The Sargents voice went cold.

"Come on Sarge!" He grinned.

"Brenner, shut up." Wilson warned. "He doesn't know what he's talking about Sarge."

"You can't expect me to respect that Bit-"

That's when Sargent Boscorelli punched his rookie in the face.

"Woah Woah!" Kymia Timms jogged down the stairs towards her supervisor grabbing his arm. "I told you to talk to him Bosco not kill him."

"You set your Rookie straight Jack!!" Bocorelli shouted at him as Timms lugged him away. "Shut his damn mouth."

"I got it Sir." Jack Wilson called after him, his arm still grasping his partners shoulder half holding him up.

"What the hell was that?" Brenner asked, pulling his hand back from his bleeding face.

"It's his wife you idiot!"

"Timm's is his wife?" Todd whined in confusion.

"No you idiot! Deputy Chief Mitchell."

"No shit?" Todd's voice rose in surprise.

"God you are such an idiot!" Wilson pulled his charge away from the scene.

"I didn't know!" He whined. "How was I supposed to know?"

* * *

"Hey Babe." Bosco leaned his head back against the headrest of the squad, pressing the phone against his face. "I guess you're busy. I just wanted to tell you that.. um.. I love you... and If you wanna wait up for me, I won't be too late. Kay? Bye." He hung up the phone, letting his eyes slip closed.

"He really called her a bitch?" Kymia Timms looked over at him from the drivers seat.

"Nah, I punched the word back in his damn mouth." She watched the slow grin slip across his face.

"You're a good guy Bosco." She told him seriously.

"Don't let it get around."

"No I mean it Sarge." She slapped his thigh. "You're probably the last guy most people in this precint would peg to fight the fight for the woman in uniform."

"Mia I rode with you for five years, I rode with Faith for over ten. I wouldn't have let anyone on the street talk about either one of you that way. I wouldn't have let anyone say your job was less than mine. And I sure as hell ain't gonna let any dumb ass sexiest rookie prick call my wife a bitch."

"79-Centeral to 79-Sargent, 79-Paul is requesting a supervisor at Hill and Newstead."

"Roger Central" Bosco growled into his radio before looking at his partner turned driver for the day. "What'd he do now?"

"Let's go see."

* * *

This day was not going the way Deputy Chief Faith Mitchell wanted it to. She'd been irritated, about her husbands angry response to the letter from John Miller. She was angry at herself for even reading the damn thing. She didn't have to. She could have taken it to her lawyer still sealed.

Okay so she'd wanted to know. She wanted to see what the bastard had to say for himself. She was expecting some kind of crap about how she was a slut for marrying him. Instead it was an apology. A damn apology. He'd even congratulated her on her marriage, saying how any guy who'd run into the church during the wedding of the Captain of Major Case deserved to get the girl. The mayor had been there for God's sake.

Faith had to laugh. The mayor who married her and Bosco none the less. She wondered if His Honor remembered that little peice of information at a drunken wedding reception six months ago.

Six months ago. It was hard to believe it had only been six months. It seemed like six years ago. Sixteen even. In a way it had been. She sighed leaning back in her chair trying to erase the feeling that there was something else she was supposed to be doing right now. It was like she had a job that she had forgotten.

Her feet twitched beneath her desk again, with the urge to run. Instead she decided to stroll to the coffee machine in the break room. She was trying less and less to send Kathy, even though she figured it was a legitimate task for her secretary. Bob Swertsky always said if you want to know what's going on in your house go to the coffee machine.

Faith wondered if that applied to her whole territory or just this house. She walked past Kathy whispering to the woman ingrossed in conversation with her five year old Grandson. His name had turned out to be Charlie, which Faith saw as a sign.

"Coffee." She whispered pointing down the hall as she could hear Charlie's voice singing some version of a song she knew her own childen had sung at some point. Kathy smiled.

Faith found the coffee pot empty, of course and was fuddling with the stupid thing when Kathy appeared in the door way.

"Ma'am?"

"Do you know where the filters are?" She asked in exasperation.

"Ma'am there are two gentelmen here to see you." Kathy's pitch caught her attention and she looked away from the beverage dispenser.

"Who?"

"A Lieutenant and a Firefighter."

"Figherfighter?" She shook her head and moved past her. As she walked up the small staircase to her office, she could see Jimmy Doherty, in full gear, helmet in hand, standing in her office.

"God.." She whispered quietly. Kathy stood behind her caustiously. "Oh God."

She hurried to the office tossing the door open and looking at Jimmy's soft apologetic eyes.

"Is he dead?" She breathed. "Just tell me if he's dead."

* * *


	28. Chapter 28

**I give full credit for this chapter to lovemehatemeidontcare the u-tube goddess. It was her B/F video**

**"The hard way". That gave me the next two chapters. Go check it out.**

**On a personal note..not related to Fan Fiction.. I love Ted Kennedy.. the dream lives on.**

* * *

Faith blinked at her secretary sitting across from her in the back of her car, phone to her ear, agenda open on her lap, canceling her day.

Canceling her day because she was on the way to Kings County Hospital. She looked at Jimmy again.

"He was breathing?" She asked again, images of his bloody face beneath her lips as she tried to breath for him.

"He was conscious Faith." Jimmy told her patiently, squeezing the hand she forgot he was holding. "He personally ordered me to come get you."

"Kay." She looked back out the window. She should have torn the letter up. She should have written 'moved no forward address' on it. She should have written 'leave me the hell alone you ass hole' on it. "Why didn't they take him to Mercy?"

"Faith Mercy's in the Bronx." Jimmy said gently.

"Yeah." She nodded running her hands through her hair. This was Brooklyn. She suddenly hated Brooklyn. She wanted Mercy. She wanted Doctor Fields, and Mary Proctor and the hallways she had memorized. She wanted the place that fixed him last time. The place that patched him up a hundred times over. She looked back out the window. "The kids okay?"

"Officer Brenner's fine Ma'am." Lieutenant Guise answered formally from next to Kathy.

"You can drop the Ma'am Harry I'm not the Chief right now." She snapped.

"I apologize." He nodded sounding just as formal. She huffed out a breath and looked at Jimmy.

"The kids really okay?"

"He skinned his knee when he hit the ground."

"When the hell is he going to stop pushing people out of the way?" She bit her lip, trying to suck the tears back into her eyes before they fell. Jimmy grinned a little.

"He forgets he's not as fast as he used to be. " Jimmy teased. "Thought he could get the Rookie and him clear before the car hit him."

"Oh God Jimmy a car hit him." The tears she'd been fighting slid down her face as Doherty tossed his arm around her shoulders pulling her to his side.

"Faith, Kim's with him." Jimmy watched Lieutenant Guise look away politely ignoring the breakdown of his superior. Faith's secretary for her part looked in awe. "We'll be there soon.

"Okay." She gulped, using her hand and Jimmy's jacket to shield her face.

* * *

"_Don't tell her that he'll be okay_."

That's what Kim Zambrano had whispered to her husband before climbing in the bus behind Grace and Bosco. She'd seen the look of horror on his face when she'd shouted at Kymia Timms to man the bus.

It was not the first time that she had transported Maurice Boscorelli broken and bleeding to the Hospital. It was however the first time that she'd done it with out Faith Yokas across from her.

_He'd watched her move around him from underneath his oxygen mask._

_"Kimmy?" She'd heard him whisper as she dropped down to check his level of consciousness again. "She thinks I'm mad at her. Tell her I'm not mad at her."_

_"You can tell her when she gets there Bosco." She'd said quickly._

_"I shoulda let her drive me." He'd whispered, his head dropping slightly to the right._

_"Bosco?" Kim had looked at him in alarm as the transport monitor started to beep a little. "Bosco stay with me okay?" She'd shot Grace a look, thrusting a IV bag at her. "Push this. Step on it Timms."_

_"Brenner's okay?"_

_"He's fine Bosco." Grace had called softly as Kim pulled the cap of a syringe with her teeth. "You should have let it hit the little prick."_

_"Hez me.." Bosco's had voice lulled. "Teller Kim I waz just like.."_

_"You weren't that bad." Kim had smiled worriedly, looking again at the monitor._

_"Cause I had her. I had.."_

_"Stop talking, Bosco. Just breathe, okay?"_

_"Yeah.."_

Now, as she watched her husband lead Faith towards him, she wishes she hadn't told him not to say those words.

"Kim?" Faith says expectantly before shifting her eyes to her husbands former Partner sitting teary eyed a few feet away. "Timms?"

"He's in surgery." Kim says softly. "He's bleeding internally."

Kim looked behind Faith at the group of NYPD higher ups making their way towards her.

"Ma'am, we have a private area over-."

"Stop calling me-! Get the hell away from me." She moved away from the group.

"Chief-."

"Hey, she needs some space man." Kim watched her husband step between Faith and the Lieutenant

"This is an NYPD matter." The man answered.

"This is a family matter." Jimmy shot back, standing up taller.

"With all due respect.. Lieutenant Doherty is it? We can't have the third most powerful police officer in New York City loose it in the middle of a crowded Trauma Center."

"Well maybe if you got out of her face-."

"Maybe If you'd mind FDNY buisness-."

"ANYONE WHO HASN'T KNOWN ME FOR MORE THAN TEN YEARS GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!" Faith spat hotly. Jimmy almost smiled as the group snapped back away from them, his eyes going back to Faith when she spoke again. "Timms I want you to stay."

The small black woman nodded her pretty head before sitting back down.

"Kim tell me the truth."

"I don't know Faith. His blood pressure was low." She shook her head. "He was having a hard time keeping-."

"He'll be fine. They just have to stop the bleeding." Grace said confidently striding over to them, Kim gave her a dirty look.

"He's in good hands Faith. Carlos called and talked to the doctor himself. He's on his way."

"Okay." She breathed.

"Faith?" The blond turned back towards the police officers, her eyes searching through the crowd for the source of the familiar voice.

"Davis!" She shouted back. Jimmy watched Ty move towards the front of the group, laying his hand on the chest of the IAB Lieutenant who started to walk along with him. The man shot Ty a look of disgust.

"Back off, Man." Brendan Finney whispered edging between the two of them and joining the group.

"So much for the brotherhood of blue." Someone mumbled from the group

Grace Finney tried to suppress a grin as her husband and TY both spun to face the crowd.

"Where the hell was the brotherhood of blue when I was in court!" Faith shouted back towards the mob, watching them cower. "Where was the brotherhood when you were all calling me a bitch!"

"Hey. Hey that's enough." Ty said softly pushing her further away from the scene. "Faith come on. Let's have a little brotherhood of the 55 over here, huh?"

Kim took her by the shoulders, set tingling her in a chair next to Kymia Timms.

"What the hell happened?" Finney shook his head.

Jimmy rubbed his face, looking at Kim.

"They were clearing an accident while we were trying to get a guy out of his car. The next thing I know he's laying on the ground."

"Shit."

"Apparently Some Rookie-."

"Todd Brenner." Came a voice from behind him.

"Brenner what are you doing here?" Kymia Timms muttered shaking her head. "Haven't you done enough for one day?"

"I was trying to steer clear of him Timms. I'm sorry."

"You weren't paying attention."

"I'm sorry."

"I thought you said he wasn't hurt." Faith's voice was suddenly calm.

"I'm fine Ma'am, the Sergeant saved my life."

"You said he scraped his knee." She muttered to Doherty. "What the hell happened to your face?"

The boys eyes rolled before looking at the floor. Faith thought he looked like a young Bosco.

"Ma'am-."

"Bosco decked him this morning." Timms sighed, this morning seemed like a hundered years ago.

"What'd you do?" Faith asked, blinking in interest.

"Ah.. shit Ma'am.. I-."

"He called me a AA hire and then tried to call you a Bitch." Timms stated shaking her head back and forth slowly.

"I'm-. I'm an idiot."

"You remind me of him." She said quickly. Jimmy Doherty snorted, trying to hide a quick grin. Ty didn't even bother to try.

"Ma'am?"

"Bosco said the same thing." Kim snickered.

"You need to partner with Timms."

"Chief." Kymia grimaced, her pretty face falling into a 'don't make me' face.

"_You look like a mother_." She said softly looking past the group towards the door marked OR.

"Ma'am?"

"That's the first thing he said to me." Her lips twitched. "_You look like a mother_." Her eyes lifted towards the boy. "You should partner with Timms." She looked past him at Carlos hurrying in with Doc in tow. "Harry put him with Timms." She stood to meet Carlos. "Carlos?"

He cuffed her arm before hurrying to the nurses station.

"I'm Dr. Nieto. Dr. Harrison said I could scrub-in in OR 4." She nodded, leading Carlos away. The young doctor nodded back to Faith before disappearing behind the doors.

"He gonna be okay?" Doc asked Kim.

"He'll be fine." Ty responded quickly. "I'm gonna go call Sul."

Faith nodded, watching Ty walk away.

"Ma'am?" Faith looked up at her secretary. "I contacted your son and sent a car to bring him here. He insisted on stopping to pick up Mrs. Boscorelli."

"Kathy." She blinked, vaguely remembering that the woman had come with her. "Thank you."

She nodded smartly.

"Faith?" Kim said softly from her right. "He wanted me to tell you he wasn't mad at you."

The woman choked out a sob, Kim felt her own eyes fill with tears.

"He said something about letting you drive?" She shook her head when she spoke, swallowing hard when Faith's brilliant smile broke through her hysteria.

"Stubborn Jerk." She snorted. "I forgot Kim."

"Forgot what?"

"Never let them leave angry." She nodded at Zambrano who cast a look at her own husband before meeting Faith's eyes again and sharing the nod.

* * *

Carlos rubbed the back of his neck as he finished reading off the list of Bosco's injuries and how they'd attempted to repair them knowing full well she wasn't listening.

Her eyes were glued to the sedated form of her husband. Her son however was nodding curtly, scribbling down information on a piece of hospital paper.

"That's a good idea." Carlos said softly.

"She'll want it later." Charlie Yokas said quickly, Nieto nodded.

"She can call me."

"I'm sure she will." Charlie gave him Faith's half grin.

"Everything looks good though." He nodded again. "He should be back to normal after a few weeks."

"Thanks."

"Is your sister coming in?"

"She'll be here in the morning. She's on call tonight."

"Here's my card for her if she has any questions. Doctor to Doctor." Charlie nodded shoving the card in his pocket.

"She wanted to know about his.." Charlie looked at the back of his hand. "BGL?"

"His glucose? Why?"

"Apparently it was something they had problems with when he was in the hospital before."

"I'll have them order a test." Carlos scribbled the note on the patients chart before walking to the door.

"Thanks." He crept towards his mom, touching her hand lightly. "Mom? I'm going to get Rose home."

She swallowed hard, nodding with out ever looking up, slowly running her fingers across Bosco's face.

* * *

_He rolled his eyes when he saw her, making her way towards the door waving the small brown piece of paper in her hand. He knew what it was. He knew because he'd spent hours starring at it, turning it over and over in his hands, trying to make sense of it all._

_"You respectfully decline?" She shouted pushing her self into the office._

_"Lieutenant Mitchell." Harry Guise looked up at her in surprise._

_"Get out Harry." Guise made a clicking noise before gathering his papers and fleeing the room._

_"Faith-." Bosco sighed._

_"You're not coming?"_

_"Can we not do this here?"_

_"You won't answer my calls."_

_"Faith I'm busy."_

_"Like hell."_

_"What do you want me there for?"_

_"You're my best friend."_

_"Am I?"_

_"Boz!"_

_"Faith.."_

_"I need you there! There's going to be like a hundred people starring at me in the goofy dress-."_

_"It's a great dress." His low voice startled her out of her rant. "You looked..." He shook his head. "You looked amazing."_

_She blinked at him._

_"I want you there Bosco." She whispered. He put down the file he was holding, moving towards her. She flinched in surprise when he kissed her cheek._

_"I can't do it Faith. Don't ask me to." He looked into her eyes. "If you change your mind about this Jack-off, call me and I'll meet you at Haggarty's. I'll even buy the beer."_

_She felt the air being pulled out of her in the way only someone who knew her like he did could do. He kissed her cheek again before disappearing down the steps of his new station house._

* * *

"Faith?" His dry voice made her tear up again. She'd been watching him start to wake for a while now, remembering him in a hospital bed. Remembering the day when she'd stormed into his station house waving his response card from her wedding invitation. The day she realized she was making a mistake. That day she realized she was marrying the wrong guy. "Faith?"

"Hey." She smoothed his short locks of hair into his head. "How you feeling'?"

"Like I got hit by some idiot in a Suburban." He blinked heavily.

"I got your message."

"Yeah." He smiled softly at her.

"I waited up." Her voice cracked.

"Good." He swallowed hard, taking her hand from where it rested on his cheek and holding it tightly in his.

"You sore? I could get somebody." The last word came out in a mumbled blob.

"I'm okay."

"You don't hafta be."

"You're tired."

"I've been sleeping all day."

"Liar."

"How the hell da you know?"

"Street Faith." He answered sleepily.

"Stop it with that." She scolded, her hands fluttering around his face.

"Brenner's okay?"

"Yeah. I ordered Harry to partner him up with Mia."

"He's me before you."

"You were a prick before me?"

"Mia'll be good for him."

"I love you." The sudden urgency in her voice made him push out of the fog he was in.

"Shh.. Faith I'll be alright." He kissed the palm of her hand. "It'll be alright."

* * *


	29. Chapter 29

**Someone asked me this and I thought it was a great idea. ****As always, in my stories- especially those that have flashbacks, a hundred little sub stories are born. If anyone wants to explore them, like what happened to Holly and Carlos' little girls, or how Maggie and Sully got together, how he could afford to build the huge house, the conversations Sasha and Bosco had about Faith that lead him to the church that day.. please feel free to write them! You can use my characters and situations, just try to keep them true to who they are. **

**:) **

**Anyway.. back to The More Things Change.. **

* * *

_Sasha Monroe sat in the pew next to her boyfriend and his parents nervously checking her watch. _

_"Come on, Bosco." She whispered to herself. "You can do this."_

_"He's not going to do it, Sash." Sully growled from the other side of Ty. Sasha palmed her cell phone again before passing it to Sully. _

_It read simply: **I'm going for it.**_

_He couldn't help but grin, with a slow shake of his head. Ty pressed his lips together to keep from laughing out loud. _

_Emily started down the isle when the music started, widening her eyes with a look of panic when she saw Sasha. Monroe lifted her hands until her palms were facing the young woman. Emily rolled her eyes before scrunching them shut and continuing down the isle. _

_"The kids are in on it?"_

_"It was Charlie's idea." Ty muttered softly. "He was the one who lured him to the bridal shop in the first place." _

_"Damn Monroe." Sully whispered watching Emily nervously take her place at the alter near John Miller. "You're sneaky."_

_"All that time in IAB." She muttered quickly typing '**hurry up'** into her phone._Sully grunted in amusement before rising as Faith and Charlie came into view at the back of the church. He stifled a chuckle when the boy actually looked behind him about half way down the isle.

_She'd just made it all the way down the isle when she heard the first siren, but it was New York City and fire trucks were everywhere. She did notice however that they seemed to stop very close by. After surviving a car crashing into a funeral, it was sufficient to say she was a little bit unsettled by it. _

_Then the doors swung open and she heard him call her name._

_"Faith." He called bravely, before realizing that's as much of the speech he'd managed to compile in his head, sitting shot gun in the fire engine next to Jimmy Doherty_.

_"Boz?" She looked at him in alarm. He realized she was thinking something must be really wrong for him to inturupt her wedding. Something was really wrong. The guy at the end of the isle. _

_"Thank God." Charlie Yokas let go of his mothers arm and stumbled back. "You cut it close enough."_

_"What the hell's going on?" John Miller tossed his hands up in the air. "Faith?"_

_She didn't answer, she was starring at her partner. _

_"Don't do this." He begged softly. "He's not the guy."_

_"Okay. Okay. That's enough." Miller growled, flipping his hand towards his side of the church. "Guys, someone.. get him out of here." _

_A few of the cops started to rise, but then so did Ty._

_"Whoa Whoa!" He put up his hands."Everybody just take it easy." _

_"We don't want any trouble." Sully stood beside him. _

_"Trouble?" The groom shook his head. "This is ridiculous. What are you gonna do Davis? Get into a brawl?"_

_"Your Goon's lay one hand on Romeo here and I might." Jimmy Doherty yelled from the back, in full fire gear._

_"Who the hell are you?" John shouted back. Jimmy started to answer before the other man moved on. "Faith what the hell?"_

_She hadn't moved. He watched the two of them stare at each other. _

_"Faith please. Just think about it okay? Just think." _

_"She doesn't have anything to think about." Miller shouted. _

_"How can she think at all when you're always talking!" Charlie Yokas stepped between his mom and almost stepfather. _

_"Charlie stay the hell out of this!"_

_"Hey! Don't talk to my brother that way." Emily moved towards them. "You stay the hell out of this."_

_"I think-. No. I **know**. Faith, I love you." Bosco whispered softly. "Faith, I love you. I think I always did." Her mouth made a motion like she was going to speak but no words came. He watched the tears slip down her face and cursed himself for putting them there. "Faith.."_

_"Mom." Emily crept towards her, thrusting her bouquet of flowers into Millers arm's. "Mom listen to Bosco. It's what you want, you know it is. All the time you spend talking about your old life? Well maybe it's because your new life sucks." _

_Faith's gaze made a fleeting move towards her daughter before looking back at her partner. He was a lot closer than before, reaching out and grasping her hands keeping her in front of him. _

_"Now wait just one damn-."_

_"Oh for the love of God will you shut up!" Shasha exclaimed her little body starting towards Miller. Ty grabbed her by the arms holding her back. _

_That's when Bosco kissed her and the church went from being background noise to being nonexistent. He was tentative at first, waiting for her response but once she gave it to him, that slight hint of permission, he took it and ran with it. She felt her hands ball into fists around the front of his black t-shirt as her body gave in. They parted both sucking air back into their lungs as she rested her forehead against his. When they did finally catch their breaths, reality crashed back as quickly as it had departed. _

_Ten people or so were clapping, including her children. Most looked stunned. John Miller however looked.. well furious. And that's when she bolted from the room._

* * *

The creek of the door made her look up from the magazine she was pretending to read. She glanced at Bosco, rubbing sleep from his eyes. The morphine was really making him loopy, another reason she needed help talking to Dr. Harrison. She'd called Mary Procter today and talked the woman's ear off. Now she needed back up.

"Hey Guys." Carlos slipped through the door, wincing almost apologetically. "I've got Doc with me.."

"No. It's fine come on in." Faith waved her hands.

"Sure come on-." Bosco grumbled until his wife swatted at his shoulder. "Hey! Doc! How you doing man?"

"How am I doing?" Doc laughed. "How are you doing?"

"I'm alright." Bosco shrugged looking lazily at his wife. "Been worse."

"Faith you said you had questions?" Carlos raised an eyebrow as the woman looked up.

"I was hoping you could go with me to talk to Dr. Harrison? Em had to leave at four and the guy acts like I'm some idiot."

"Maybe it's because you made him do a CT and MRI when he told you I had no head injury." Bosco snipped.

"Will you shut up? I'll give you a damn head injury." She hissed before looking back at Carlos. "Just to be safe.."

"Sure." He looked cautiously at Doc. "Stay here." Faith smiled, it was the same voice he used with the children. "I'll be back in a few minutes. Do you have your phone?"

Doc rolled his eyes a little before pulling his phone out and holding it up to Carlos.

"He's pretty high right now, Doc." Faith warned, winking at Bosco holding the door open for Carlos."Don't take him too seriously."

"So.. how you doing Bosco?"

"I'm alright." Bosco shrugged, pursing his lips.

"That's good." He nodded. "Heard you got shot a while back."

Bosco's eyes dropped to the too white sheets of the bed.

"Heard you shot someone a while back." He countered. Doc's head bobbed down as his eyebrows shot up. "Sorry." He breathed. "I shouldn't have said that. Faith's gonna kill me. I'm kind of drugged right now."

"I won't tell." He snickered. "It's kind of refreshing. It's the elephant in the room you know?"

"I guess so." He untwisted the lines from the IV's slowly as he spoke. "I still manage to put my foot in my mouth more times than not. Faith still has to get on me for that."

"I shoved mine in pretty far with Holly."

"Holly? She's more forgiving than a priest in the confessional."

"Yeah apparently not about her kids."

"Especially about her kids. She stood up at the trial and publicly forgave the babysitter who abused her baby." Bosco made a face. "That's too much damn forgiveness."

"Abused her baby?"

"Yeah.." Bosco looked at him suspiciously. "Shook her, it causes brain damage or something. Shake-your-baby-something."

"Shaken baby syndrome." Doc whispered, things clicking into place.

"Yeah."

"Which one?" He squinted, knowing the answer long before he even asked.

"The little one. The one who almost drown."

"Almost what?" He exclaimed.

"Jeez you are out of the loop man." Bosco yawned.

"And you're in it. Which is kind of scary." Doc shook his head. "I'd have never thought after the precinct broke up you'd have all stayed friends."

"It's Ty."

"Huh?"

"Ty is the one that keeps us all connected. With Ty you get Finney, and Carlos. Well you can't have Carlos with out Kim, so then you get Grace, who's really already there cause she's married to Finney. And I guess you get Jimmy through me really since he's like my best friend now, even though he's married to Kim so you get him that way too. So then we all go to Ty and Sasha's wedding at Sully's and it's like universes colliding you know? Next thing you know, bam! I'm married to someone I was barely speaking to and everythings back to normal."

"Bosco?" Doc shook his head. "That made no sense."

"Give me a break I just got hit by a Suburban."

"Good point."

The room lapsed into silence and it didn't break until the door swung open and Faith strode in.

"Well you're gonna live."

"That's nice." He gave her a fake smile as she kissed the top of his head. "How long?"

"At least the week."

"Ug."

"Ready to go?" Carlos asked Doc giving Bosco a short wave.

"Yeah. It was umm.. nice talking to you Bosco."

"_Sure_ it was. Ouch!" He rubbed the spot where Faith had just smacked him. "Thanks Carlos."

"Don't mention it." He watched Doc walk through the door, following him with his eyes.

"Faith?"

"Humm?" She ruffled her hands through his hair before dropping back into her chair with a magazine.

"I think I said too much." Her eyes snapped back to him.

"What'd you do?" Her voice was accusing. If he thought he said too much he probably said way too much and she knew it.

"I can't really say."

"Why?" Her eyebrows furrowed.

"Cause I have no idea." He shook his head in amusement before snorting. She rolled her eyes while he laughed.

"I'm having them turn down your morphine." Her lips twitched for a moment before she started laughing as well.

* * *

"We're gonna be stuck in traffic all afternoon getting back."

"We could take the ferry." Doc commented suddenly spinning to face him.

"The Ferry?" Carlos looked alarmed.

"I need to talk to Holly."

"I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Carlos I need to talk to Holly." His eyes were soft, Fatherly. Carlos flinched. "Please. Let me fix this."

Nieto sighed dramatically before nodding, his eyes shifting out the window as he started the long trek back to Staten Island.


	30. Chapter 30

**Thankyou to Johanna who gave me my own personal favorite praise about "capturing the characters". That's my first goal always, making sure that Bosco stays Bosco and Faith stays Faith.. even if they are in very unfamiliar contexts. :)**

**Every now and then I read something and think _I know Maurice Boscorelli. Maurice Boscorelli was a friend of mine.. and you sir are no Maurice Boscorelli..._**

**That's a big fear of mine! It's why I don't write certian charachters and why this has been such a tough story for me.**

**Thanks..**

**Lori**

* * *

"Ouch."

"Sorry." She didn't sound sorry. "I'm just trying to get it right."

"Ouch!Ouch! Faith just stop already!" He swatted her hand away from the pillows under his legs.

"Sorry! God. Big baby." She muttered, pulling the blanket back up over his legs.

"You're the one who told them I didn't need the morphine." He muttered back.

"I didn't realize you were gonna be such a wuss about it." He twisted his neck in an attempt to catch her eye as she skillfully avoided his gaze. That would not do at all, Maurice Boscorelli was not about to be ignored by his partner.

"Faaaith! I. Got. Hit. By-a-SUBURBAN!" His words started off long and slow before rushing out at the end. _For emphasis_, he thought determinedly, watching her eyes flutter behind their half closed lids.

"I know." She sighed. "I know the make model and license plate number Bosco I ran it myself."

"What's your problem?"

"My problem?"

"Yes. Your problem." He huffed. "What'd I do?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"To piss you off." He sounded genuinely hurt now, she looked away again. "What did I do?"

" You got hit by a Suburban Bosco." She sighed tiredly.

"And this makes you angry?" He asked slowly, annunciating clearly so she could easily see the error of her ways.

"It was reckless and you got hurt." She whispered angrily. "And I'm not angry."

"I've been hurt being reckless before and you never got angry." He grumbled.

"Yeah well I've never been your wife before!" She shot back.

"What the hell's that got to do with anything?" He tossed his hands in the air.

"I don't know!" He watched as she narrowed her eyes at him, the words shooting from her scowling face like they were coming from a nine mil. This he could work with. She turned to escape but he grabbed her arm pulling her back towards the bed. He winced as her legs hit the edge sending her into a seated position next to him with a thud. "It is different though." She admitted, her back still facing him. His indignant posture faded as he slowly moved his hand from her elbow to her armpit and back again. "It's scarier."

He pressed his lips into her shoulder as she leaned over until her body was balanced delicately on the edge of the hospital bed, starring out into the white tiled room.

"I'm fine." His voice was muffled by her white sweatshirt, and he sucked in a gasp when the weight of her body pressed back onto his. "Careful."

"Sorry." She whispered, her hand reaching back and cupping his cheek. He could feel her fingers seeking out the rough star-burst shaped patch of scar tissue.

""S Ok." He muffled again, burying his nose in her hair as he slid his fingers over hers.

* * *

"Hol?" Carlos whispered dubiously down the hallway.

"What are you doing here?" Came Kim's frantic whisper. "I've been trying to get you on your cell for like an hour! Jimmy said you called and told him not to meet you-." Her voice came to an abrupt halt when Doc moved into the hallway. "What the hell is wrong with-?"

"Kim don't panic." Parker said smoothly.

"Don't panic?" She rolled her eyes before looking back at Carlos. "I can't believe he talked you into bringing him back here."

"He knows." Carlos muttered dropping into a chair next to the couch.

"You told hi-?" Kim's eyes were on Doc.

"Bosco did." He glanced back at Carlos.

"Why the hell-?" She bit her lip.

"The morphine mostly." Doc raised his eyebrows, halting her question.

"He tell him all of it?" Kim asked quickly.

Carlos shook his head.

"He thought I knew."

"Now you know." They all looked towards the door of Eden's room, Holly Nieto stood with her arms folded.

"I wish I had known before." Doc turned his eyes to Kim. "I'm sorry, about what happened to Eden."

"Me too." Her eyes squinted as she shook her head, from anyone else it would have looked like a mocking gesture, but from Holly it just made you feel like she knew something you didn't. "Guys can I talk to Doc alone please?"

Carlos and Kim exchanged glances.

"I'm not planning on injuring him." She lifted her eyebrows towards her husband.

"That's good to know." Doc said softly his eyes never leaving Holly's. "I think Holly's right we need to talk alone."

"I don't-."

"Kim lets go." Carlos stopped her mid protest, reaching his hand across the living room sofa and giving her a tug. She moved through the apartment like a new mother leaving her infant for the first time. Carlos wondered which of them to be more concerned for.

* * *

_He laid back against the arm of the couch, sheilding his eyes from the light for a few seconds before rubbing his fingertips over the wetness he found there._

_"Now you're fucking crying?" He muttered to himself. "First you're proclaiming your undying love in the middle of her wedding and now you're crying over it? Might as well put on a damn skirt today." He listened to the way his voice rose, until it was almost a squeak. "Damn it."_

_He wiped his face a few more times before reaching for the half empty bottle of scotch on the floor. He froze with it poised against his lips when the phone rang._

_"Yeah?" He huffed breathlessly into the receiver. He knew with out looking it was her. It had to be her._

_"Boz." Soft sweet redemption._

_"You okay?" His voice was stronger than he felt, especially after the snort of ironic laughter he heard on the other end of the line._

_"Define okay."_

_"I'm sorry Faith."_

_"All the times you could have said something..."_

_"More like all the times I chickened out, Faith." He shook his head. "You have no idea."_

_"I might surprise you on that one."_

_"Yeah?"_

_"Boz-. I need some time." Her words were almost nonexistent. "I.. I'm sorry, but I just need-."_

_"It's okay Faith." He told her quickly, pinching the bridge of his nose. _

_"Is it?"_

_"Yeah."_

_"Bosco what you did today.."_

_"Idiotic?"_

_"That too." _

_"I meant it."_

_"I know you did." She sighed, he pictured the way her eyes would drift shut. "I'll call you in a few days."_

_"I'll be here." _

_"Promise?" Her voice was timid. He gripped the phone tighter. _

_"Yeah." He pressed his lips together to keep from saying more than she needed to hear. "I promise."_

_"Bosco?" _

_"Yeah Faith?"_

_"I love you too." She whispered before the line when dead. He let his eyes shut again, the forgotten drink dangling from his hand. Had he known it would be four weeks before he even heard word of her, he might have asked a few more questions._


	31. Chapter 31

_for today. for them. seven years later._

* * *

9-11-12

"Faith?" Ty stuck his head in the door, she pressed her fingers to her mouth and narrowed her eyes, hovering over Bosco like he was a sleeping infant. He dropped back out of the room, holding the door just a crack and watching her fuss over his unmoving form for a few seconds before she slowly walked towards the hall.

"Sorry." She did have the decesncy to look genuinely sorry as she spoke to him, closing the door almost all the way behind her.

"Coffee?" He pointed down the hall but she shook her head wildly at him before her eyes fell on the white gloves of his dress blues.

"How was it?"

"How'd it look on TV?" He asked blankly, rolling his white gloved fingers around the inside of his cap. He didn't notice she'd looked away, back over her shoulder into the room.

"We had to turn it off." She whispered. Ty's head bobbed up, taking in her exhausted appearance and the way she seemed to be keeping guard over the room. He nodded slowly even though she never looked up.

"You guys okay?" He tried to sound nonchalaunt, like he was just asking if they needed extra sheets or something.

"He.. we wish we could have been there with you guys today."

"You want some coffee?" He gestured to the lounges at the end of the hall. She looked back in concern. "He's sleeping Faith. You're allowed to have coffee."

Ty smiled at her and she nodded, moving slowly down the hall with him.

* * *

Falling.

That's what it was all about.

Falling and running.

Now it's smoke and dust and death and destruction.

Faith.He looks at the pile and tries his cell phone again. He's seen everyone but her. Sully and Davis came from Atlantic City and he's seen them. The cell phone makes a useless noise and he goes in search of a list again. Organization comes slow, but it's coming more easily now. There are maps, people check in. Relatives of the missing are starting to show up. Lieutenants stare at rosters, officers knock on doors of first responders who haven't checked in. Just to be sure. He wonders if Fred would be home. If he know where she was.

Then he remembers that Fred is dead. He died five years ago his heart gave out.

The pile is gone now. This is wrong.

Faith.

Where the hell is Faith?

He sees Sullivan walking towards him. He sees the look of pity and he steps back.

No. No.

Bosco. The older man calls. I'm sorry Bosco.

No.

We found her, Bosco.

Faith.

She's gone.

* * *

It was the sound of the nurses starting to stir that first alerted him, but Faith was way ahead of him. Her face ashen from a vibe unfelt by him, standing quickly and heading towards the door.

"Damn." It's all she said as she hurried down the hall towards his room.

"Faith?" It's a desperate frantic yell that is immediately replaced with whispered words lost in gasps for breath. Ty stood back watching the nurses who rushed in wait for Faith's cue.

"Ms. Boscorelli?"One of them urged softly, her eyes looking at the bright red flashing monitor almost wincing at it's clanging.

Faith had climbed onto the bed with him, softly shushing her arms incircling him tenderly.

"I'm here. I'm here."

"Mrs. Boscorelli." The woman's voice is one of exhausted patience. She shot her an almost pleading look.

Faith nodded guiltily, biting her lip.

"40 mgs of Sedivet." The nurse barked at someone else who scribbled it down on a note card as she rummages for a syringe, eyeing it quickly before showing it to the note card girl.

"40 of Sed." She muttered back, the pen cap still firm between her teeth.

The nurse was already nearly on top of the parts of Bosco not covered by Faith, as if she's trying to get it overwith before Faith changes her mind. He whimpers as the needle goes in burring his face in Faith's neck.

"Panic attack?" Sully muttered softly from behind his son. Ty turned slowly with a worried shrug.

"Is that what it is?" He hurt for him. Sullivan blew out a deep breath and nodded before turning away.

"Least he wasn't driving this time."

When Ty looked back Bosco's body'd gone limp. Faith was curled up into a ball at the top of the bed stroking his hair and wiping tears from his face. He looked hauntingly out into the room, his arms wrapped back up through hers. Ty watched the mans fingers clench and relax against his wife's tiny wrist for a few more minutes before wandering off to the car and Sully.

* * *

"She was FDNY." Holly whispered softly into Kim and Jimmy's guest room. Doc turns, looking up from his book. "Retired after 9-11, said she couldn't take it anymore." Parker looks down at his hands when she speaks. "Carlos and I thought we were so lucky, a former paramedic as a nanny. She could take care of Adalia's special needs." Holly nodded, leaving the doorway and dropping onto the bed. "I had a really good feeling. Good Karma."

Doc nodded with her, a feeling of dread seeping into his chest.

"She'd been with us for six months." She smiled. "Moved in. We.. um.. liked her that much. Addie and I went for a doctor's appointment and Eden was asleep. She'd been watching something on T.V. a documentary or-. Anyway, she must have dozed off, or zoned out or something. The next thing she knew she was shaking Eden." Holly wiped her face with her hand. "Some sort of flashback. She..."

"Holly." Doc says softly realizing where the story was going.

"The psychologist that took the stand said she had PTSD. From-." She nodded again before breaking down completely. "I trusted her and she almost killed my baby."

"So there was no way in hell you were going to trust me."

"No." She shook her tear streaked face frantically. "I did. You're like a father to Carlos and Kim for Christ sake. I-."

"Holly it's okay if you didn't-." He put his hand on her back.

"I wanted too." She sniffed again. "But God forgive me I was looking for a reason not to."

* * *

**I wrote most of this on the day, but just couldn't finish. So here it is. Pretend it got there in time okay?**

**'bout two chapters left.**

**Lori**


	32. Chapter 32

_**If any Carlos fan out there knows the real names of the Kenny's I'll change it. Please just let me know. I was going to sort through my TiVo, but really.. **_

* * *

"Hey! Oh my God you look like a grown woman!" Kim shrieked tossing her arms around Kylie, who Grace had to admit did look like a grown woman in her black slinky dance costume. Zambrano handed her the small bouquet of white roses with a grin.

"Here stand closer!" Mike Kenny held up his camera. "Let's get a picture with Aunt Kim."

"Ug. I wish I didn't have the uniform on!" Grace watched her roll her eyes leaning into her honorary niece. Holly grinned at her.

"Grace." She greeted seeming more like herself then she had in years. "You've met the Kenny's? That's Ky's mom Barb, her father Mike and that's her sister Moriah holding Eden."

"Let's get a Fathers Daughter picture." Barbra Kenny all but ordered, taking the camera from her husband and giving Carlos a shove. Grace watched with mild interest as the two men each take a side. "Give her kisses."

She expected Carlos to look uncomfortable, but with a precision that could only come from years of practice, he and Mike both planted kisses on opposite sides of Kylie's sweet face, each with an arm touching the other as they reach around the little girl.

"It's a tradition. It's goofy to watch but it makes a beautiful picture." Holly explained as both men took turns tickling the twelve year old. "The Kenny's always work so hard to make Carlos know how grateful they are. They're the best people. We're so lucky."

Grace smiled again watching Kim straightening her former partners tie before posing for yet another picture for Kylie's mom before Barb ushered Holly and the girls over for some more family shots. Her gaze finally broke away when the radio on her hip crackles and her and Kim were remorsefully out the door and back to work.

"What's wrong with you tonight?" Kim asked her, watching with mild confusion as Grace stared into her locker at the end of the shift.

"Huh?" Grace shook her head at her.

"You're out there somewhere." Zambrano grinned. "What ever, see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah." She breathed watching Kim's form disappear around the corner.

She met Brendan on the corner leaning against there black sedan with Danny crashed out in the backseat. He opened the door for her kissing her cheek as she climbed in. Grace took a deep breath, watching him in the rear view as he walked around back and into the driver seat. She touched her son's knee before smoothing out the blanket he'd been covered with.

"They said you're car would be ready before your shift tomorrow." Her husband reports pulling back out onto the road.

"Kim said she could drop me off there if you had to go in." Grace told him absently.

"What's wrong?"

"Brendan.." She looked back at Danny. " Have you ever thought.."

He waited for her to continue as they sat at the light.

"Gracie_ have I ever thought_ what?" He asked when she didn't.

"About adopting." She dared to look at him, slowly bringing her eyes up. He looked at her cautiously.

"Is that something you feel ready for?" He asked carefully.

"I'm ready." She nodded and almost jumped in surprise when he exhaled.

"I thought you'd never ask." He grinned. "Baby I.. I think it's great." She couldn't help but match his broad toothy smile. "I've been waiting.. I want a girl. Gracie can we get a little girl?"

"Can she do ballet?" She asked tearfully, wrapping her hand around his wrist as the light turned green and he pulled into the intersection.

"She can do what ever in the hell she wants." He sniffed.

"Okay." Grace reached up and wiped a tear off his face with her other thumb.

"Okay." He repeated, still grinning.

* * *

Doc carefully lowered the sleeping child onto the bed, wiping back the wisps of bangs that hung in her round face. Someone shook her. He thought, swallowing hard. Someone with the same diagnosis as him shook the baby laying in front of him until it damaged her brain. He cupped his large brown hand around her pale skin for a moment, looking at how small it made her seem. For the first time in a long time he thought about Steeper. He knew now the man had six grandchildren. He'd been to visit him twice while he was in Belview, wanting to insure that he held no ill will. Doc both resented and appreciated that more than either man could have understood.

Now he wondered if Steeper would have had the same sypathedic solidarily if Doc had shook his grandchild until she was brain damaged rather than just shooting him in the gut.

Probably not, because at that moment he wanted the woman who did this to Eden to be shook herself. He wondered if the babysitter had a grandfather, or siblings or parents that would forgive her down the road. If that woman would have anywhere to live or if she'd end up at the halfway house in New Jersey. The sound of Carlos entering with Addie, and laying her on the bed across the room broke the spell and he pulled his hand away from Eden, kissing her cheek.

"I'm going to wait for Kim." He said softly, standing up and pointing to the hall.

"About that." Nieto nodded at him. "Holly wants you to stay." He nodded again. "Well I mean.. Holly _and I_.."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Carlos I understand-."

"You're better." Carlos told him sharply. "We know that. Holly knows you'd never hurt them." He looked between his daughter's beds. "Never." One more nod in emotional avoidance. "We want you to stay."

"Okay then." Doc nodded too. Swallowing against the tightness in his throat before pulling Carlos to him by his tie and hugging him tightly. "Okay."

* * *

"You okay?"

"I'm fine." He sighed leaning back against the pillows of the couch. "I'm not made of glass."

"K fine, then get off your ass and make me some dinner." She muttered.

"Did you talk to the therapy guy about coming to the house?"

"Did you call your Mom?"

"Faith.." He watched her wiz by, grabbing various items from his hospital room and finding places to put them.

"She's really worried about infection since you got so many last time. I told her it's not the same thing-."

"Hey." Bosco twisted with a grunt to follow her.

"-but she just has it in her head that-."

"Hey." He tossed the pillow at her stopping her mid stride.

"You can't go back to work if you've got to get me back and forth to-." He stopped, watching her drop her gaze to the floor. "What?"

"I don't want to go back." She whispered. Bosco stuck his hand out and pulled her closer.

"Baby we talked about this, I'm fine." He shook his head as a slow grin pulled across his lips.

"I know." She smiled sweetly, ruffling his hair like he was a little boy.

"Then what?" He grabbed her hand mid ruffle, folding it in his.

"I don't want to go back, Bosco."

"Is this about the letter from John or me getting hurt."

"It's about me." She whispered letting him pull her around the side of the couch. She sat carefully next to him. "That stupid letter, Bosco it was all I could think about. I wanted to talk to him. I wanted to see what he had to say, if he was finally going to admit it."

"None of that matters anymore Faith."

"I know that." She whispered softly. "It shouldn't have mattered. I should have been stronger."

"He's not going to say what you need him to say. Itsn't that what you told me about my Dad?" She nodded slowly at him, leaning in and pressing her forehead against his. "And even if he did it wouldn't change what happened."

"It didn't just happen Bosco. I made it happen." He lifted his hands to her head, threading his fingers through her hair.

"What about that group that Connelly recommended?"

"Project Rachel?" Faith whispered whistfully, the side of his mouth rose.

"I guess so."

"Boz.. I don't know."

"It's the next thing Faith. Maybe even the last thing."

"What if it's just the beginning?"

"Then we get to work."

"Why do you want me to go back to work so bad?"

"You really don't want to go back?" He raised his eyebrows, smiling at her. She shook her head slowly. "If you really don't want to go back then don't."

"Just don't?"

"Resign." He pursed his lips for a second with a small shake of his head. "You've put in almost twenty years, you get a good portion of your penision. Not like we need the money."

"So, You'd be alright with that?"

"I just said I would."

"I-."

"Sh.." He put his finger over her lips. "You don't have to decide right now."

She nodded slowly settling down next to him on the couch. Visions of resignations dancing in her head.


	33. Chapter 33

**TruLuv wins the Carlos award for knowing the names of the Kenny's, I've changed them. Bonus points to anyone who knows if they ever said the name of their older child. And yes Sasha will have the baby. **

* * *

_"Hey this is Charlie, Emily and Faith we're not here. Leave us a message!" Her daughter's voice is followed by a loud beep._

_"Hey Faith. I know you're going back to work tomorrow and I just wanted to.. I don't know.. wish you luck. I don't know. I.. No pressure okay.. I just miss you. I meant it when I said what I said.. you know.. that I.." He sucks in a breath. "..loved you." _

_"Love you too." She breathes out painfully into the air, watching the timer on the sink. __Taking a deep breath, she looks down at the little white stick. _

_Please, Please, Please.. Damn it. _

_The mere site of the thin blue line makes her throw up again. Her hand shakes as she picks up the phone. For a second her finger hangs over speed dial one. What would he say? What would he say if she called him and told him? Instead she dials another number. _

_"John it's Faith. I need you to call me back. I know you don't want to talk to me.." She bites her lip and shuts her eyes. "I took a test. I_ _**am** pregnant. We need to talk."_

_She shuts off the phone before stumbling back to her bed. Tonight she'll talk to John. Bosco has to wait. _

* * *

"Hey." Bosco moved into the office sitting at his usual palce on the edge of her desk.

"Hi." She whispered, blinking at the computer screen.

"You hiding out?" He grinned a little, moving his hand over a stray piece of hair, tucking it softly back into place.

"Maybe if I just keep sitting here.." She moved her eyes to him then, giving him a little grin back.

"You can still change your mind." He looked at her pointedly.

"I know." She sighed before looking back at the computer screen. "Can I ask you something?"

"You can ask me anything." He shook his head at her, screwing up his mouth.

"If I had told you.." She licked her lips. slowly meeting his eyes. "About the baby.." He sat as still as possible, trying to let her finish. "Could you have-. Would you have still wanted to be with me?"

"Where's this coming from?" He whispered.

"I'm.." She stopped, swallowing hard. "I'm quiting the job, Bosco." He nodded slowly. "It was why I did what I did right? It was about the job. Right?"

"I can't answer that."

"Did you ever want kids?" She shook her head when she spoke. "Could you have raised a child that was John Miller's?"

"I love you. I love Charlie. I love Emily. And yes, if you're asking me if I wish you would have told me.." His voice trailed off when her head bobbed down.

"That's what I thought." She whispered.

"Now, where's this coming from?" He took her fingers in his, turning them around each other.

"I'm just trying to understand myself." She sniffed, giving him a worried smile. "I'm sorry Bosco."

"Sorry for what?" He shook his head.

"Underestimating you." She grinned a little.

"It happens." He grinned back, kissing her finger tips.

* * *

_"The press is camped out in front of my house. He showed up at my son's school. I-." She rubbed her hand across her face. _

_"You have a case. It's sexual harrasment, Faith. He implied to several people that you weren't getting the promotion because you refused to marry him."_

_"He told me he'd go to the press." The DA looked at her sympathetically. _

_"This is his career on the line. He's prepared to fight dirty." He looked back at the papers in front of him. "And I don't need to tell you that his attorney is-." The man's voice trailed off with a shake of his head. "You're going to need to surround yourself with people you trust."_

_"About that. I haven't had a chance to talk to my partner."_

_"The other man?" The DA exhaled. "Tread carefully Faith."_

_"I-."_

_"You told me yourself you understand what this looks like." He told her gently. "The kind of woman John Miller and his supporters want to make you out to be." _

_"You and your partner have to have a conversation about what this means for the both of you."_

_"It might not be a problem." She whispered._

_"If you want to save your career? The less complications the better."_

_Faith took a deep breath nodding as the DA said his goodbye and made his way out. _

_She picked up her phone and called Mercy._

_"Can I speak to Mary Proctor please? Thank you. Mary it's Faith. How is she? So she's out of the CICU?" She listened to the update on Rose Boscorelli before asking softly "How is he?" She winced as Proctor relayed Bosco's traumatic night back to her. "You'll keep an eye on him? Thank you, Mary I mean it." _

* * *

"Are you dressed yet?"

"You try tying your shoes when you can't see your feet."

"I'll tie your shoes."

"No. You'll put them on." Sasha slipped out of the bedroom, handing him her shoes and socks before flopping down on the couch and lifting her feet onto the table. Ty grinned, sitting next to her legs and wrestling her socks over her swollen feet.

"Bosco called about an hour ago. She's going to do it." Sasha let her shoulders crumple, meeting Ty's eyes with her own.

"Is she sure?"

"He says she's sure." Ty shook his head.

"She fought so hard for that job."

"Sacrificed a lot." He whispered, tucking her foot into her shoe. "I told them we'd be there. I called Mom and Sully, they're going to come down."

Sasha nodded, watching him tie a bow on the top of her foot.

"You gonna pick me up?"

"Yeah." He sighed again. "After I get my parents from the train station we'll come by your office."

She nodded at him, stretching to grab her briefcase and checking a file.

Ty's phone rang from the kitchen table as he finished off the second bow. He patted her thigh as he got up to get it. Sasha struggled off the couch, easing her breif case onto her arm.

"Hurry, I'm not going to be late again because of you!" She called after him. He rolled his eyes before grabbing the phone.

"Carlos.." He greeted. "Yeah I'm gonna drop Sash off at work first then I'll head out that way."

"Ty!" Sasha yelled.

"I'm coming!" He yelled back. "She's crazy. Get used to it? What the hell does that mea-?"

"Ty!"

"I gotta go. I'll catch you later." He shook his head and hung up the phone.

"You know it doesn't take that long to get you there."

"We're not going." She said softly.

"You wanna just wait for Faith's press conference?"

"We're gonna miss that too."

"I told Bosco-." He shook his head.

"My water just broke." She interrupted, nodding at his lost expression.

* * *

_He looked at the paper again, swallowing at the editorial that crushed his former partner. It made her sound like some ruthless monster. _

_"Call her Maurice." His mother told him, smacking the paper with her foot from her spot on the couch. _

_"Ma." He grunted, moving slightly away from her. _

_"She needs you." She told him more forcefully._

_"I needed her."_

_"She's got a lot going on Maurice."_

_"So did I."_

_"You want her to drop everything and-." She wagged her finger at her son._

_"You want me to drop everything and run to her?" He wagged his back._

_"Maurice she's going to loose her job, she's just been through a very emotionally and physically draining experience."_

_"She's been through it before Ma." He whispered. "She didn't need anyone then either."_

_"Stop it." She kicked the paper again. "Put that trash down and call her!"_

_"Why should I?"_

_"Maybe because her life might look a little different today if you hadn't waited fifteen years to tell her how you felt about her!" _

_"You're supposed to stay calm." He at least had the good sense to look guilty._

_"You're supposed to be there for her." She told him nicely. "Call her."_

_A few minutes later from the bathroom, he dialed the numbers. _

_"Faith." He breathed once Emily's voice stopped and the machine beeped. "I.. just wanted to.." He rubbed his face. What did he to do again? "I'm going to testify. For you.. so Miller's lawyer can't subpoena me.. but uh.. you know that, I guess.. I just wanted to.." He nodded his head with each word. "I wanted you to know I'll be there tomorrow. Bye."_

_He winced as he hung up, knocking his head against the door frame._

* * *

"Emily's here?" Faith asked, twisting her hands around the index cards of her speech on her lap.

"She's out there." Her husband whisperd, pulling the crumpled papers out of her hand. "Sully called, Sasha's having the baby."

"Oh my God!" Her eyebrows shot up.

"He's dropping Maggie off at Mercy and coming up here."

"He doesn't have to do that." She blinked. "He should be there for them."

"That's what I told him." Bosco shook his head. "He said he wants to be here for you."

She couldn't help but smile a little.

"Good old Sul." She whispered, watching him smooth out her cards.

"Good old Sul." He nodded handing her back the cards. "Stop twisting."

He pulled away only to get caught by her firm grip holding him to her.

"You're going to do fine." He muttered pressing his lips to her head. She nodded, tightening her grip on him.


	34. Chapter 34

_**Surprise!**_

**_(come on now.. anyone who reads my stories knew this was going to happen. be honest.) _**

* * *

_"We are awaiting the start of the press conference at which Deputy Chief Faith Mitchell is expected to resign from her position for personal reasons. Mitchell was of course best known for the sexual harassment case three years ago against her former boss and fiance Captain John Miller. Mitchell won her lawsuit and Miller was removed from his command and was required to pay over 500,000 dollars worth of damages. Mitchell was a favorite to replace the Police Commissioner, many felt that she was to be the Mayors choice_."

John Miller turned up the television. He fixed his gaze on his former lover, who was talking softly with her husband before taking the podium. _Bosco._ He'd only met the man three times, once in the middle of his failed wedding. She had her eyes locked on him, he could tell she was nervous, she twisted the cards, he gave her a look and she untwisted them. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before they locked eyes. Miller watched him nod slowly before letting go of her hand while she walked up to the podium.

Miller shook his head slowly. He'd paid for her career with his and now she was throwing hers away. He'd lost everything, for nothing.

* * *

Faith looked at the mangled note cards in front of her before smirking back at her husband. He tilted his head towards her with a little nod.

She fixed her eyes on Sully who gave her an encouraging grin.

"Hello. We should get started." She smiled briefly before clearing her throat and starting again. "Thank you all for coming. I called this press conference today because I have-. I have so many people to thank. There have been so many of you out there that have stood by me through my trials and tribulations. After a lot of deliberation, I called the Mayor yesterday morning and asked him to remove me as a possible successor to Commissioner Gables." She glanced at Sully who was fishing his cell phone from his pocket. "As many of you know I have-." She stopped, watching Sully's face pale as he made his way over to Bosco and whispered something to him. "I have-." Faith watched Bosco put his hand on Sullivan's shoulder before nodding as the man rushed off. He glanced at his wife, waving his hand quickly to her, with wide eyes. She looked back at the crowd. "I have decided to resign my commission as Deputy Police Chief effective on Friday. Thank you." She blurted out, before stepping quickly off the podium.

"What?" She whispered as her husband took her arm and started pulling her towards the exit. He leaned in, trying to drown out the sound of the crowd calling out questions.

"Sasha's in trouble." He whispered back herding her towards her BMW.

* * *

"Yeah, I'm dropping Danny off with Kim and meeting Carlos up there. " Brendan Finney muttered into the phone as he weaved through traffic. "Yeah. She's got Eden and Kes. Addie had a doctors appointment so Holly will be there as soon as it's over. No Carlos is already up there. Yeah.." He pulled into the first open slot he found. "Gracie I gotta go. I'll call you." He reached into the back and yanked a napping Danny from the car seat.

"I wanna play with Eden." Danny muttered sleepily.

"You're going to." Brendan muttered climbing the steps to Jimmy and Kim's apartment with his son over his shoulder. Kim met him at the door.

"Hey." She pulled Danny from his father as Brendan started back down the stairs. "Call me."

"I will."

* * *

John Sullivan rounded the corner faster than a man his size should be capable of moving, before screeching to a halt. He studied his partner for a moment, bent over in his chair starring at the floor while Maggie rubbed his back softly. In front of him, Carlos Nieto was kneeling whispering something softly. For a moment he though he was too late.

"John." Maggie whispered, her hand lifting off of her son's back as Carlos pivited out of the way. He was on his feet and wrapped up in his arms before he could even ask what happened.

"It's a boy." Ty muttered, before lowering his forehead back down to his father's shoulder. Sullivan held him, awkwardly looking over at hims wife. She smiled softly.

"Sasha's still in surgury, they're trying to stop the bleeding." Maggie told him gently, wiping her own eyes. "Carlos was just telling Ty he should go see the baby."

"I don't want to leave her." Sully listened to the quiet whisper coming from the younger man. He brought his hand up slowly, cupping the back of Ty's neck.

"Where would she want you to be?" He asked gently, pulling back to look at his face. Ty met his eyes for a long time before nodding slightly.

"Where's the NICU?" Davis asked nodding again.

* * *

Brendan Finney almost crashed into Maurice Boscorelli as he rushed towards the Labor and Delivery waiting room. Bosco didn't budge.

"Sorry." Finney muttered, moving past him into the middle of the room. The other man didn't even look his way. "You hear anything?"

He waited for a second before realizing the other man had no idea he was speaking to him.

"She's in surgury." Carlos replied helpfully.

"The baby?"

"He's fine." Faith nodded, before her gaze locked back on her husband. "They took him to the NICU just to be safe."

"What are they saying?" Finney shook his head. "About Sash?"

"Not much." Maggie Sullivan gave him a soft smile before turning back to Sasha's sister who sat silently at her side.

"Ty?"

"Went to see the baby." Carlos reported, leaning against the wall.

"What do we do?" He asked shaking his head back and forth.

"Wait." Maggie answered.

Bosco muttered something before peeling away from the group and disappearing down the hall.

"This is hard for him." Faith wispered. Brendan studied the man's wife for a minute before giving her a shrug.

"They're all over your press conference on the radio." He told her.

"What are they saying?" She asked nervously, wringing her hands in front of her chest before smoothing out the bottom half of her shirt.

"It's mostly a referendum on Bosco. How he's what you're giving it all up for." He nodded back as she sunk into a chair. He joined her a few seats over.

"Are they talking about-?" She stopped, her eyes falling away. Finney reached out his hand and touched her arm, shaking his head when she looked up.

"Hey." Carlos called suddenly, pushing off the wall and towards the Doctor who was walking towards them.

* * *

She watched his back for a second, watching his shoulders rise and fall.

"Boz?" He didn't move. She crept closer, coming around and sitting on the coffee table in front of him. "She's gonna be fine."

He nodded, before raising his head and studying her, his hand reaching out and clasping hers.

"I'm scared Faith."

"Don't be."

"Oh okay." He shrugged. "God why didn't I think of that?!"

"I've done this before." She whispered. "Twice."

"Stuff goes wrong."

"Not usually."

"But it can." He stroked her fingers slowly, before she pulled their hands to her stomach.

"It's a little too late to turn back now, Boz." She grinned.

"I didn't say I wanted to turn back." He whispered, drawing his thumb across the tightness of her abdomen. "I said I was scared."

"I'll hold your hand." She teased.

"Promise?" He asked her, with an unsure quirk of his eyebrow.

She nodded, kissing his head as she stood up.

"Let's go see the bay-bee!" She squealed pulling him out of the room.

* * *

"Ty?"

"Hey. Mommy's awake."

"What happened?" She rubbed at her eyes before he slowly came into focus.

"We had a baby." He beamed.

"We had a baby?" She whined, as he handed her the tiny bundle. "My baby."

"He needs a name."

"He?" She examined the baby, slowly unwrapping him until she could see him. "Hi Baby."

Ty grinned a little slowly raising the bed for her. She winced a little, readjusting the two of them.

"A name.."

"He doesn't look like a Alona."

"No he doesn't." She laughed, down at him. "We could go with-."

"We're not naming him Tyrone."

"Okay, Okay."

"Sullivan?"

"You wanna tell him his name is Sully?" She raised her eyebrows before scrunching up her face.

"Vinny?"

"Ty!" She shook her head. "John?"

"A black kid named John?" Ty scooped his son up from the bed and looked at him protectively.

"A black kid named Vinny?" Sasha snorted. "God Ty I'm drugged out of my mind and I still know that Vinny's a bad idea!"

"Wait! Wait! I think I got it."


	35. Chapter 35

**Thanks all! This story was.. really... really... hard. I think I'll stick to B/F stories. The rest of these people are taxing. :) I know there is a loose end, and I'll tie it up later in a little sequel... not a 35 chapter sequel... just a little one.**

* * *

_3 months later_

"We got an invitation to a baptism." Faith whispered to her husband as he moved into the kitchen.

"Little Harrison's?" He said the baby's name like it was the most ridiculous thing he'd ever heard.

"It's not that bad." She grinned at him looking back over her shoulder, her hands submerged in soapy water.

"It's not Maurice, but come on.." He raised his eyebrows before shaking his head.

"What? You don't want to name our baby Maurice?" She purred, he snorted wrapping his arms around her.

"I'd rather name him Fred." Her shoulder muffled his voice and she laughed out loud.

"Apparently it was a thing with him and Sully and his Dad."

"Has he seen the last three Indy movies?" He reached across the sink and grabbed a towel, wrapping her hands in it.

"They didn't name him after Shai LaBeouf."

"Who?" He scrunched up his face.

"Never mind." She grinned at him. "Anyway, I think it was Star Wars, not Indiana Jones."

"They named their son after someone from Star Wars? At least Indiana Jones used to be good movies."

"I always thought we'd name our kid David."

"You _always_ thought that?"

"Yeah."

"Faith you're 21 weeks Pregnant. How long you been planning this?" He couldn't contain the way his lips twiched into a smirk when her eyes widened a little. "Why Officer Yokas were you fantasizing about your partner while on duty?"

"Like you never did!" She stabbed at him with her index finger before starting to laugh again.

"Oh I did." He nodded, pulling her flush against his body and kissing her neck again. "I did."

"Boz if you wanna do the uniform thing again you should know I don't think I can still buckle the pants." She cupped his face in her hands.

"No need for pants." He muttered bringing his mouth to hers.

* * *

"So that's it?" Grace Finney looked back at the paperwork.

"You're a paramedic, I have full confidence in your ability to handle the G-tube." The social worker smiled at her. She looked back at her husband starring starry eyed at the little girl in his arms.

"She has to come back in two weeks right?" Brendan pushed his foot against the side of the metal hospital crib, rocking gently back and forth. "For a weight check?"

"Just to the clinic, not the NICU."

"She'll be ours by then." Grace whispered.

"Legally." Brendan interjected. "She's ours already."

"You two have been hers since the day you walked by her room." Brendan looked up at the nurse in the doorway.

"Hey!" He grinned. "Maddy look who it is? It's Jessie."

"Hey there Maddy B." Grace watched her daughter's favorite nurse draw her finger down her cheek. The baby smiled. "You ready to go home?"

"She really did choose us didn't she?" Brendan watched her as he rocked.

"She sure did." Jessie winked at him. "She sat in the doorway in her swing and watched you visit Harrison. She decided you'd do."

Graced reached out and stroked one of the baby's curls.

"She's gonna miss you." She whispered. "She's been here her whole life."

"Seven months is gonna be nothing to her in a few years. You guys are going to be the only family she remembers."

"We'll visit."

"Yeah? You guys going for a full house or something?"

"No." Grace raised her hand. "Two's plenty."

"Hey! Somebody need a ride home?" Ty popped into the room happily. "Hey Jessie!"

"Officer Davis. How's Harrison?"

"Amazing." Ty grinned. "But today is about my God Daughter!"

"Good luck you guys." She whispered as Brendan stood up with his new daughter.

"Thank you." He breathed as Grace straightened out the little girl's blue dress, Brendan stilled her hands and met her eyes. She looked form him to the baby. "Thank you."

His wife leaned in, kissing the little girls round cheek.

"Let's go home."

* * *

"And then, you're old Grandpa saved the day." John Sullivan spun the wheels on the tiny RMP holding it up for the baby to see.

"You filling his head with lies again?" His wife teased.

"Yes." Sully snorted, kissing the baby on the head. "Ty called. The Finney's are safely home. He and Sasha are on their way back."

"It's pretty amazing what they're doing, adopting that special needs baby."

"They fell in love. You saw her, how could you not?"

"I don't really remember." Maggie said softly dropping a kiss on her grandson's head. "I was pretty focused on this guy."

"This guy? He's a tough guy." Sully lifted the little boy up a little.

"Like his Grandpa?"

"Like his Grandpa."

"Bobby get away from the street." Monte Parker jogged closer to his young charge, Eden bouncing on his hip as he did. "Come on, come back on the sidewalk. You know better."

"Sorry Uncle Doc." The boy muttered.

"'s okay." He muttered, cupping his hand against the boys head and pulling him closer. His lips twitched when it occurred to him how much the little boy was like his name sake. He was just as gentle as Bobby Caferty, and twice as charming. The old medic grinned when he thought about it. "Trouble."

The boys brown eyes flasheded up at him and he winked before turning his eyes back to Eden.

"More colors." She demanded, Doc nodded.

"Yes your majesty." He pressed his head into hers. "Bobby play over there with Kes." He pointed the little boy towards the playground before dropping Eden back onto the picnic table. She grabbed one of the glossy playing cards off the stack, looking at it before turning it towards him.

"It's blue!" She told him cheerfully.

"It's blue." He agreed before blowing raspberries on the little girls neck until she squealed with delight.

"Doc?" Holly called from the doorway of the church. "They're ready."

"Kes, Bobby let's go!" He called to the children. "Kylie! Get your sister."

"Come on Addie." The older girl called pulling her sister from the sand box and dusting her off.

Doc waited for them, following behind the kids into the church. Holly grinned at him when he held Eden out to her. She took her little girl, planting a kiss on his cheek before wiping the lip stick off with her thumb before they joined the group.

"I'm just sayin'" Bosco whispered.

"Well stop." Faith muttered back.

"I'm with you." Jimmy told Bosco quietly.

"I thought all guys liked those movies." Kim shook her head before adding in the same soft tones. "You know, cause of the gold bikini."

Faith snickered at her before rolling her eyes.

"All hail the gold bikini." Jimmy whispered reverently before he and Bosco bowed their heads.

"I think I liked it better when they were at each others throats." Kim shook her head.

"If you would have told me that Boz would want Jimmy Doherty to be his son's God Father-."

"Really?" Jimmy's face lit up as he looked from Faith to Bosco.

"Faith!" Her husband whined.

"Sorry."

"I was going to think of some great way to ask." He explained. "Like Nair it into your chest it while you were sleeping or something."

"Oh that would have been good." Doherty agreed.

"Till Faith wrecked it."

"Oh for God's sake stop acting like a child." Faith growled.

"Can we start now you two?" Sully asked, faining irritation.

"Go ahead." Bosco nodded offically before whispering. "It would have been great."

"You see this?" Sasha told her son. "This is your family."

"Don't be scared." Ty assured the baby. "They grow on you."

"Can we get started now? God's got crap to do." Sully moaned.

"I said go ahead."

"Boz."

"I'm just saying."

"I'm with-."

"Jimmy." Kim muttered.

"Right."

"The more things change.." Doc chuckled, hearding the children into the chapel.

* * *

**_In memory of Maddox Blaine Hatifield. Little life, big impact. You are my Maddie, my only Maddie. You make me happy when skies are gray.._**


End file.
